Columbia  (Mntt)e«ttp 


LIBRARY 


HISTORY^" 


IRISH  INSURRECTIOI 

OF  1798, 

GIVING  AN  AUTHENTIC  ACCOUNT  OF 

THE  VARIOUS   BATTLES   FOUGHT   BETWEEN   THE 
INSURGENTS  AND  THE  KING'S  ARMY, 

AND   A 

GENUINE  HISTORY  OF  TRANSACTIONS 

PRECEDING  THAT  EVENT. 
WITH    A    VALUABLE    APPENDIX 


BY    EDWARD    HAY,    ESQ., 

MEMBER  OF  THE  ROVAL  IRISH  ACADEMY. 


"  I  will  a  round,  unvarnish'd  tale  deliver." 

"  Nothing  extenuate, 

Nor  set  down  aught  in  malice." 

Shakspeake 


NEW   YORK: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  KENEDY. 

1847. 


CONTENTS 


Page. 

Introduction, 7 

Geographical  description  of  the  county  of  Wexford, .  ...     51 

Institution  of  the  Volunteers  of  Ireland, 62 

Meeting  of  the  county  on  the  22d  of  September,  1792,. .     67 

• ^ •   on  the  11th  of  January,  1793,  ...     69 

Riots  in  the  year  1793, 70 

Meeting  of  the  county  on  the  23d  of  March,  1795,  on  the 

recall  of  Earl  Fitzwilliam, 80 

Loss  of  the  former  independence  of  the  county  of  Wex- 
ford,       83 

Melancholy  effects  produced  by  the  riots  in  the  county 

of  Armagh,  in  1795, 88 

Causes  of  the  present  state  of  Ireland, 91 

Conduct  of  the  troops  in  Ireland  censured  by  Sir  Ralph 

Abercromby,  commander-in-chief, 97 

Proclamation  of  sixteen  parishes  in  the  county  of  Wex- 
ford, 28th  of  November,  1797, 100 

Conduct  of  the  North  Cork  militia  on  their  arrival  in  the 

county  of  Wexford, 105 

The  whole  of  the  county  of  Wexford  proclaimed  on  the 

27th  of  April,  1798 110 

Meeting  of  the  magistrates  of  the  county,  23d  of  May,. .    121 

Sudden  insurrection  on  the  27th  of  May, 137 

Battle  of  Oulart,  on  the  27th  of  May, 138 

Battle  at  Enniscorthy,  28th  of  May, 139 

Retreat  of  the  troops  to  Wexford — general  confusion,  . .    141 

Deputation  to  the  insurgents  on  Vinegar  Hill, 146 

Defeat  at  the  Three  Rocks — surrender  and  abandonment 

of  Wexford  to  the  insurgents,  on  the  30th  of  May,.  . .    153 
Conduct  of  the  troops  on  their  retreat  to  Duncannon  Fort,   164 

General  arrangements  of  the  insurgents, 177 

Abandonment  of  Gorey — conduct  of  the  inhabitants,  . . .    179 


140845 


4  CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Battles  of  Newtownbarry  and  Ballycanow,  on  the  1st  of 

June,  1798, 185 

Lord  Kingsborough,  Captains  O'Hea  and  Bourke  taken 

prisoners,  2d  of  June, 189 

Battle  of  Clough  or  Tubberneering,  4th  of  June, 194 

Battle  of  Ross,  5th  of  June, 198 

Dreadful  abomination  at  Scullabogue, 201 

Battle  of  Arklow,  9th  of  June, 227 

Attack  at  Borris, 236 

Proposals  of  accommodation  from  Lord  Kingsborough, 

14th  of  June, 241 

Skirmish  at  Tinnahely,  16th  of  June, 245 

Insurgents  surprised  on  Lacken  Hill — their  retreat,  19th,  248 
Critical  situation  of  Wexford — dreadful  massacre  !!!...  251 

Battle  of  Horetown  or  Fooks's-mill,  20th, 273 

Battle  of  Enniscorthy,  21st, 274 

Wexford  surrendered  to  Lord  Kingsborough — fiis  con- 
duct and  dispatches, i'.l .' 277 

Major-general  JNIoore's  approach  to  Wexford,  21st,  ....   287 
Pursuit  of  the  insurgents  from  Gorey,  and  their  progress 

out  of  the  county,   295 

Trials  and  executions  in  Wexford, 297 

Progress  of  the  Wexford  insurgents  in  the  counties  of 

Carlow  and  Kilkenny, 302 

Progress  of  the  Wexford  insurgents  in  the  county  of 

Wicklow, 304 

Progress  of  the  Wexford  insurgents  closed  by  surrender,  311 

Commanders  and  court-martials  appointed, 312 

Conduct  of  General  Hunter — his  superior  discrimination,  316 
Intended  extermination  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Maco- 

mores, 319 

Conduct  of  the  people  on  the  landing  of  the  French  at 

Killala, 328 

Conflagration  of  a  Protestant  church  and  Catholic  chapels,  340 
Conclusion, 350 

ABSTRACTS    FROM    PLOWDEN,    TEELING,    ETC. 

Landing  of  the  French  at  Killala,  county  Mayo,  August 
22d,  1798, 351 

Battle  with  the  yeomen  and  fencibles  who  were  defeated 
by  the  French, 351 

Gen.  Humbert  takes  possession  of  Ballina,  from  whence 
the  garrison  fled, 352 


CONTENTS.  5 

Page 
Shameful  defeat  of  near  6000  British  soldiers  at  Castle- 
bar,  353 

Battle  between  the  advanced  guard  of  Humbert,  and  Col. 

Vereker,  at  Coloony,  county  Sligo, 353 

Humbert's  march  to  Drummahair,  towards  Manorhamil- 

ton,  county  Leitrim, 353 

Action  between   Crawford's  troops  and   Humbert,  be- 
tween Drumshambo  and  Ballinamore, 353 

The  French  cross  the  Shannon  at  Ballintra, 354 

Cornwallis  crosses  the  same  river  at  Carrick-on-Shannon,  354 
Battle  of  Granard,  between  some    thousands  of  West- 
meath   and    Longford   United  men,  and  the   British 

troops, 354 

Battle  of  Ballynamuck,  and  surrender  of  Gen.  Humbert,  354 
Battle  of  Ballynascarty,  county  Cork,  June  IQth,  1798. .  355 
Battle  of  Antrim,  June  7th,  and  repulse  of  Major-general 

Nugent, 355 

Death  of  Lord  O'Neil,  who  was  mortally  wounded, 356 

Assault  on  the  town  of  Lame,  and  at  Ballymena  and 

Ballycasile, 356 

Occupation  of  Saintfield,  county  Down,  by  the  United 

troops, 356 

Attack  on  Portaferry  by  the  men  of  Ards, 356 

Battles  of  Windmill  Hill  and  Ednevady,    356 

Battle  of  Bally nahinch,  June  13th,  1798, 357 

Battle  of  Prosperous,  county   Kildare,   May   23d,  and 

slaughter  of  the  ancient  Britons, 358 

Attack  of  Naas,  by  nearly  1000  men, 358 

A  body  of  800  men  take  up  arms  in  the  town  of  Cahir, 

county  Tipperary, 359 

Mr.  Wright  seized  at  Clonmel,  and  received  500  lashes,  359 
Battle  of  Tara,  county  Meath, 359 

Rathangan,  county  Kildare, 360 

KilcuUen         "  "         360 

Surrender  of  about  2000  United  men  to  Gen.  Dundas,  on 

Knockawin  Hill,  and  the  murder  of  above  700  of  them 

by  Jocelyn's  Fox-hunters, 360 

Bergen  tortured  to  death  in  Drogheda,  county  Louth, . . .  360 


I.  Speech  of  Captain  Sweetman,  on  the  22d  of  Sep- 
tember, 1792  361 

1* 


6  CONTENTS. 

Pace 

Account  of  the  county  meeting  at  Wexford, 380 

Resolutions  of  the  Catholics  of  Wexford, 382 

II.   Requisition  of  the  magistrates  of  the  county  of 

Wexford, 383 

Resolutions  of  the  county  meeting,  January  11th, 
1793, 383 

III.  Certificate  of  Solomon  Richards,  Esq., 385 

Affidavit  of  Mr.  Taylor,  an  Englishman, 389 

IV.  Extract  from  the  debates  of  the  House  of  Lords, 

10th  of  July,  1793,   391 

V.  Resolutions  of  the  Catholics  in  Wexford,  July  30th,  391 
VI.   Requisition  to  the  high-sheriff  and  magistrates  of 

the  county  of  Wexford,  394 

Resolutions  at  the  county  meeting,  23d  of  March, 

1795,  on  the  recall  of  EarlFitzwilliam, 396 

Petition  to  the  king, 398 

Address  to  his  excellency  Earl  Fitzwilliam, 400 

VII.  Lord  Gosford's  address  to  the  magistrates  of  the 
county  of  Armagh,  with  the  resolutions  entered 

into,  on  the  28th  of  December,  1795, 402 

VIII.  General  orders  of  Sir  Ralph  Abercromby,  26th  of 

February,  1798, 406 

IX.  Oaths  during  the  insurrection, 407 

X.  The  address  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Macomores 

to  Major  Fitzgerald, 409 

to  General  Hunter, 409 

Letter  to  Major  Fitzgerald, 411 

XI.  Affidavit  of  Mr.  Stephen  Lett,  jun., 412 

Letter  from  Lieutenant  Murphy, 413 

Affidavit  of  Edward  Roche, 413 

Letter  from  Captain  Bourke, 414 

Letter  from  Lord  Kingston, 419 

Letter  from  Major  Fitzgerald, 420 

Affidavit  of  Margaret  Breen, 421 

Letter  from  Armstrong  Browne,  Esq., 423 

XII.  Testimony  of  Doctor  Jacob, 424 

XIII.  Letter  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gordon,  with  his  answer,  427 
Conclusion 431 


THE  IRISH  REBELLION 


INTRODUCTION. 

I  WOULD  not  obtrude  myself  on  public  attention 
were  I  not  earnestly  solicited  by  numerous  and  re- 
spectable friends  (who  have  at  length  prevailed)  to 
give  a  genuine  account  of  the  transactions  in  the 
county  of  Wexford,  during  the  insurrection,  in  the 
year  1798  ;  in  order  to  counteract  the  baleful  effects 
of  the  partial  details  and  hateful  misrepresentations, 
which  have  contributed  so  much  to  revive  and  con- 
tinue those  loathsome  prejudices  that  have,  for  cen- 
turies, disturbed  and  distracted  Ireland.  It  is  con- 
ceived, that  a  fair  and  impartial  account,  by  dissipa- 
ting error,  may  operate  as  a  balm  to  heal  the  wounds 
of  animosity;  for  let  the  candid  reader  be  of  what 
political  principles  he  may,  I  am  confident  he  must 
be  sensible,  that  no  adherent  of  either  of  the  contend- 
iijg  parties  in  this  unhappy  country,  can  in  justifica- 
tion feel  himself  authorized  to  assert,  that  his  own 
party  was  perfectly  in  the  right,  and  the  other  egre- 
giously  in  the  wrong  ;  and  yet  there  are  partisans  to 
be  found  on  either  side,  endeavoring  to  maintain  that 
this  is  actually  the  case.  But  if  these  zealots  could 
be  induced  calmly  to  listen  to  the  melancholy  tales 
of  enormity  that  can  unfortunately  be  told  of  both 
parties,  they  might  be  prevailed  upon  to  relax  a  little 
ia  their  prejudices.     It  the  spirit  of  intolerance  and 


8  INTRODUCTION 

retaliation  be  still  held  up,  no  kind  of  social  inter- 
course or  harmony  can  exist  in  Ireland.  With  a 
view,  therefore,  of  establishing  concord,  by  showing 
from  what  has  happened,  that  it  will  be  of  universal 
advantage  to  forget  the  past,  and  to  cultivate  general 
amity  in  future,  I  have  undertaken  the  arduous  task 
of  endeavoring  to  reconcile  ;  pointing  out  errors  by  a 
genuine  relation  of  facts,  and  I  hope  this  may  eveif- 
tually  prevail  upon  neighbors  of  all  descriptions  to 
cherish  the  blessings  of  union  and  mutual  benevo 
lence,  which  cannot  fail  of  banishing  from  their 
breasts  every  rankling  idea,  and  must  prevent  the 
possibility  of  their  ever  again  becoming  the  easy  tools 
of  political  speculation,  which  unfortunately  hitherto 
encouraged  hatred  and  variance,  and  ended  in  the 
miserable  debility  and  depression  of  all. 

Did  I  know  any  other  person  willing  and  able  to 
give  a  more  circumstantial  account  of  what  has  fatally 
happened  in  the  county  of  Wexford,  (which  is  the 
only  part  of  Ireland  I  at  present  undertake  to  treat 
of,)  I  would  cheerfully  resign  my  documents  into  his 
hands  ;  but  as  I  have  been  most  peculiarly  circum- 
stanced, as  an  eye-witness  of  many  remarkable  trans- 
actions, the  information  cannot  be  so  well  handed 
over,  and  might  not  be  produced  with  such  good  ef- 
fect at  second-hand.  I  conceive  it  therefore  neces- 
sary to  give  some  account  of  myself,  as  most  of  my 
readers  could  not  possibly  otherwise  be  sensible  of 
the  many  opportunities  I  had  of  being  perfectly  in- 
formed of  the  state  of  the  country,  which  certainly 
did  not  fall  to  the  lot  of  many  other  persons. 

My  family  have  been  established  in  Ireland  since 
the  reign  of  Henry  II.,  as  my  ancestor  came  over 
with  Strongbow,  and  was  allotted  a  knight's  share 
of  lands  in  the  southern  part  of  the  county  of  Wex- 
ford, which  his  descendants  possessed  until  the  rev- 


INTRODUCTION.  9 

olution  in  Ireland  about  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  when  there  was  but  one  estate  in  the  whole 
county  left  unalienated  by  Cromwell.  My  ancestor 
had  not  the  good  fortune  to  be  the  person  undisturb- 
ed ;  but  he  acquired  a  property  in  another  part  of 
the  county,  where  his  descendants  have  ever  since 
resided.  Born  of  Catholic  parents,  and  being  reared 
in  the  principles  of  that  religion,  occasioned  my  ban- 
ishment at  an  early  age  for  some  years  from  my  na- 
tive country,  as  my  parents  wished  to  procure  me  a 
collegiate  education  in  a  foreign  land,  to  which  the 
rank  and  respectability  of  my  family  entitled  me,  but 
which  the  laws- of  my  country  denied  me  at  home. 
After  having  pursued  a  course  of  study  for  several 
years  in  France  and  Germany,  I  returned  to  my  na- 
tive soil,  fully  sensible  of  my  civil  degradation  as  a 
Catholic,  and  I  therefore  sought  all  the  legal  and  con- 
stitutional means  in  my  power  in  the  pursuit  of  Cath- 
olic emancipation.  The  liberality  of  the  times  con- 
tributed much  to  the  relaxation  of  the  penal  laws, 
passed  from  time  to  time  against  the  Catholics  of 
Ireland  ;  and  they  were  at  length  induced  to  lay  their 
grievances  at  the  foot  of  the  throne,  as  the  most  effec- 
tual source  of  redress.  They  were  in  part  relieved, 
but  many  oppressive  causes  of  complaint  still  re- 
mained, and  many  modes  of  procuring  their  abolition 
were  resorted  to.  A  various  train  of  circumstances 
occurred  to  produce  the  circular  letter  of  the  sub- 
committee of  the  Catholics  of  Ireland  in  1792,  and 
pursuant  to  its  tenor,  delegates  for  all  the  counties 
and  principal  towns  were  chosen  to  represent  them 
in  the  general  committee.  I  had  the  honor  of  being 
elected  a  delegate  for  the  county  of  Wexford,  and  I 
exerted  myself  in  that  situation  with  all  the  energy 
and  ability  in  my  power.  The  declaration  adopted  by 
the   Catholic  committee  in  March,  1792,  was  sub- 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

scribed  by  a  multitude  of  signatures,  and  those  of  the 
county  of  Wexford  I  was  instrumental  in  procuring 
I  attended  my  duty  in  the  general  committee  of  the 
Catholics  of  Ireland,  where  a  petition  to  his  majesty 
was  framed  and  signed,  in  November,  1792:  and  a 
vindication  of  the  cause  of  the  Cathohcs  of  Ireland, 
containing  an  exposition  of  their  objects  and  motives, 
was  adopted ;  and  afterwards  published  and  authen- 
ticated. In  consequence  of  royal  interposition,  by 
the  king's  gracious  recommendation,  the  parliament 
of  Ireland  (which  almost  unanimously  rejected  a  pe- 
tition of  the  Catholics  in  1792)  was  induced  consider- 
ably to  extend  their  privileges  in  1793.  I  attended 
a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  general  committee,  at 
which  an  address  of  gratitude,  for  his  gracious  in- 
terposition, was  voted  to  his  majesty,  and  a  similar 
one  to  the  lord-lieutenant,  expressive  of  the  earnest 
loyalty  of  the  Catholics,  and  requesting  the  former  to 
be  transmitted,  was  drawn  up,  approved  of,  and  pre- 
sented by  deputation  to  Lord  Westmoreland. 

Along  with  the  repeal  of  the  most  odious  of  the 
penal  laws,  a  new  oath  to  be  taken  by  the  Catholics 
to  avow  their  loyalty  was  framed  by  parliament.  All 
the  delegates  and  a  great  number  of  other  Catholic 
gentlemen,  anxious  to  avail  themselves  of  the  earliest 
opportunity  of  displaying  their  gratitude  for  the  newly- 
acquired  privileges,  and  eager  to  satisfy  the  public 
mind  as  well  as  to  set  an  example  to  the  whole  nation, 
attended  in  the  court  of  King's  Bench,  on  Saturday, 
the  19th  of  April,  1793,  where  they  took  the  oath 
and  subscribed  the  special  declaration  prescribed  to 
them ;  and  this  was  by  the  appointment  of  Lord 
Chief  Justice  Clonmel,  on  whom  a  deputation  from 
the  general  committee  had  previously  waited  for  that 
purpose. 

The  magic  of  royalty,  in  earnestly  recommending 


INTRODUCTION.  11 

"  the  union  of  all  descriptions  of  subjects,^''  having 
lately  proved  so  effectual  in  altering  the  conduct  of 
parliament  to  the  Catholics,  the  erection  of  a  statue 
of  the  king  was  voted  as  a  monument  of  Catholic 
gratitude  ;  but  this,  along  with  other  honorable  en- 
gagements adopted  by  the  general  committee,  was 
superseded  by  illiberal  and  calumnious  outcries  raised 
against  the  conduct  and  intentions  of  the  Catholic 
body,  so  as  to  preclude  the  possibility  of  carrying 
into  effect  the  plan  of  subscription  formed  for  these 
purposes.  I  was,  however,  determined  to  proceed  in 
the  county  of  Wexford,  but  was  at  length  obliged  to 
gi\Q  up  the  object,  in  consequence  of  the  baleful 
operation  of  party  prejudice  ;  and  thus  did  the  ene- 
mies of  the  Catholics,  under  the  mask  of  loyalty,  de- 
feat the  execution  of  a  project  that  would  exhibit 
the  conduct  of  the  Catholics  in  a  point  of  view  too 
meritorious  for  their  wishes. 

Very  serious  disturbances  took  place  in  a  part  of 
the  county  of  Wexford,  in  the  month  of  June,  1793  ; 
but  they  were  soon  suppressed  by  the  exertions  of 
the  country  gentlemen,  who  formed  "  an  association 
for  the  preservation  of  the  peace."  I  constantly  at- 
tended their  meetings,  and  I  believe  it  will  be  allowed, 
that  my  conduct  and  endeavors  proved  as  effectual 
as  that  of  any  other  to  restore  public  tranquillity.* 

In  January,  1795,  while  Lord  Fitzwilliam  was 
viceroy,  I  procured  a  great  number  of  signatures  to 
a  petition  to  parliament,  from  the  Catholics  of  the 
county  of  Wexford,  and  in  the  same  month  I  was  one 
of  those  that  presented  an  address  from  them  to  his 
excellency.  When  his  lordship's  recall  was  an- 
nounced from  the  government  of  Ireland,  a  meeting 
of  the  freeholders  and  other  inhabitants  of  the  county 

*  See  Mr.  Richards'  certificate  in  Appendix,  No.  III. 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

of  Wexford  was  convened  on  the  23d  of  March  ol 
the  same  year,  when  a  petition  to  his  majesty  was 
unanimously  agreed  to,  and  I  was  appointed  one  of 
the  delegates  to  present  it  to  the  king.  I  had  been 
as  far  as  Dublin  to  take  ship  for  England,  when  it 
was  thought  advisable  to  have  the  petition  sub- 
scribed by  as  many  persons  as  possible,  and  while 
my  brother  delegates  proceeded  to  London,  I  return- 
ed to  the  county  of  Wexford,  and,  considering  that  I 
was  the  chosen  delegate  of  Protestants  as  well  as  of 
Catholics,  I  took  the  precaution  of  consulting  the 
principal  Protestant  gentlemen  of  the  county  first, 
to  prevent  the  possibility  of  misrepresentation,  or  of 
denominating  my  pursuit  the  business  of  party  ;  and 
I  was  so  successful  as  to  procure,  in  the  space  of 
one  week,  twenty-two  thousand  two  hundred  and 
fifty-one  signatures  to  the  petition,  with  which  I  then 
proceeded  to  London,  and  had  the  honor  to  present 
it,  along  with  my  brother  delegates,  to  his  majesty, 
at  a  public  levee,  at  St.  James's,  on  the  22d  of  April, 
1795  ;  and  we  met  a  most  gracious  reception.* 

I  think  it  necessary  to  mention  that  I  was  invited, 
in  the  most  earnest  and  flattering  manner,  to  become 
a  member  of  political  societies,  both  in  England  and 
Ireland;  but  these  invitations  I  declined,  in  conse- 
quence of  a  resolution  which  I  had  formed,  of  never 
becoming  a  member  of  any  political  society  whatso- 
ever; and  to  this  I  have  ever  since  most  scrupulously 
adhered.  I  proposed  a  plan  for  the  enumeration  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Ireland,  to  Lord  Fitzwilliam,  which 
met  with  his  strongest  approbation,  and  but  for  his 
recall  he  would  have  patronized  the  undertaking,  and 
done  every  thing  in  his  power  to  facilitate  its  execu- 
tion.    I  had  this  plan  long  in  agitation,  and  was  in- 

*  See  Appendix,  No.  VI. 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

duced  to  enter  on  the  business  particularly  from  a 
consideration  that,  by  the  current  statements,  the 
population  of  Ireland  was  vastly  underrated.  Some 
years  ago,  the  established  clergy  had  made  returns 
of  the  population  of  their  several  parishes,  by  order 
of  government,  and  I  had  the  curiosity  to  inquire 
into  the  returns  made  of  the  population  of  the  par- 
ishes in  my  own  neighborhood,  and  these  I  found 
really  correct,  according  to  the  general  mode  of  cal- 
culation; but  as  my  curiosity  led  me  to  number  every 
individual,  I  found  them  very  defective  as  to  the  ac- 
tual state  of  the  population,  both  in  the  total  and 
comparative  numbers. 

While  in  England  on  my  delegation,  this  plan  for 
estimating  the  population  of  Ireland  was  seen  at  Lord 
Fitzwilliam's,  by  the  Right  Hon.  Edmund  Burke, 
who  was  thereby  induced  to  do  me  the  honor  of  so- 
liciting my  acquaintance  ;  and  after  a  minute  investi- 
gation of  its  nature  and  extent,  he  earnestly  encour- 
aged me  to  proceed,  as  he  considered  it  would  be 
productive  of  the  greatest  possible  benefit  to  Ireland. 
Backed  by  the  authority  and  flattering  opinion  of  so 
much  genius,  and  sanctioned  also  by  the  countenance 
of  Lord  Fitzwilliam  and  a  great  number  of  other  en- 
lightened men  in  England,  I  was  induced  on  my  re- 
turn to  Ireland  to  use  every  exertion  to  put  it  forward, 
and  met  such  encouragement  from  dignity  and  dis- 
tinction, that  I  submitted  my  plan  to  the  inspection 
of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  who  were  much  pleased 
with  it  as  an  essential  branch  of  a  statistical  inquiry 
which  they  had  then  in  contemplation  to  promote. 
This  produced  the  pleasing  consequence  to  me  of 
being  proposed  to  the  academy  by  the  present  presi- 
dent, and  I  had  the  honor  of  being  unanimously  ad- 
mitted a  member  of  that  learned  and  respectable 
body.  Certainly,  had  not  the  misfortune  of  the  times 
2 


14  INTRODUCTION. 

prevented  my  success,  this  must  have  been  consid- 
ered as  honorable  and  remarkable  an  undertaking  as 
any  individual  could  have  accomplished,  and  the  na- 
ture of  the  encouragement  I  met  with,  induced  me 
to  print  a  great  number  of  copies  of  the  plan,  and  to 
procure  a  sufficiency  of  ruled  paper  for  writing  out 
the  returns  from  every  part  of  Ireland  ;  as  in  Appen- 
dix. I  am  tlms  led  to  publish  the  whole  plan,  on  the 
present  occasion,  to  show  the  falsity  of  the  prejudiced 
arguments  adduced  by  reference  to  a  part;  especially 
as  I  conceive  that  it  wants  only  to  be  known  to  show 
the  futility  of  such  arguments. 

But  I  have  by  no  means  dropped  the  idea  of 
bringing  this  scheme  to  perfection,  nor  do  I  think  that 
my  labors,  even  as  far  as  I  have  proceeded,  are 
not  likely  to  be  useful  to  my  country  ;  for  although 
I  have  not  been  able  to  go  to  the  extent  proposed, 
yet  the  returns  which  have  been  made  to  me,  are  suf- 
ficient to  give  a  much  more  certain  account  of  the 
population  of  Ireland  than  can  be  collected  from  any 
other  statement  that  has  appeared.  I  have  been  fa- 
vored with  authentic  copies  of  all  the  documents  on 
which  the  late  Mr.  Bushe  grounded  his  return  of  the 
inhabitants  of  this  country,  which  has  gained  him  so 
much  credit,  and  I  can  positively  affirm  that  he  was 
not  in  any  degree  possessed  of  such  various  and  de- 
tailed accounts,  as  those,  which  on  my  plan,  have 
been  returned  to  me  ;  and  I  shall  feel  highly  obhged 
to  any  person,  who,  according  to  this  sciieme,  shall 
make  me  a  return  of  one  or  more  parishes,  through 
the  country  at  large,  or  of  a  street  or  streets  in  any 
town  or  city,  together  with  any  remarks  tending  to 
show  the  increase  or  decrease  of  population  since  the 
year  1795.  I  shall  also  feel  extremely  thankful  to 
any  person,  who  at  that  period  proceeded  in  any  de- 
gree on  this  plan,  for  letting  me  have  the  result  of  that 


INTRODUCTIOX.  15 

inquiry,  whether  returned  to  me  formerly  or  not ;  as  I 
can  the  more  readily  compare  the  former  and  present 
accounts,  on  getting  them  together,  than  by  the  trou- 
ble of  searching  out  the  original  returns.  If  it  can  be 
established  beyond  a  possibility  of  doubt,  that  there 
are  vastly  more  inhabitants  in  Ireland  than  they  are 
at  present  supposed  to  be,  (and  this  I  have  good 
reason  to  believe  is  the  case,)  surely  the  national  con- 
sequence must  be  enhanced,  and  our  importance  in 
the  scale  of  nations  raised  in  proportion  ;  and  as  I  al- 
ready feel  a  well-founded  expectation  that  I  shall  be 
enabled  to  perfect  this  desirable  object,  I  hope  it  will 
induce  every  real  lover  of  his  country  to  make  me 
those  returns,  which  the  simplicity  of  the  plan  will 
enable  any  person  to  execute  in  his  own  neighbor- 
hood ;  and  I  trust  I  have  already  given  such  proofs 
of  the  sincerity  of  my  intentions,  as  to  entitle  me  to 
this  information  from  any  friend  to  the  country,  as  it 
is  self-evident  that  this  plan  does  not  in  any  degree 
partake  of  party-spirit,  but  is  merely  concerned  with 
general  information.  How  can  the  wants  of  a  nation 
be  properly  supplied  if  the  extent  of  its  population  be 
not  accurately  known  ?  or  how  can  the  redundancy 
of  one  nation  be  applied  to  the  benefit  of  another, 
where  this  injportant  fact  is  not  ascertained? — For 
example's  sake,  the  crops  of  Ireland,  in  the  year  1801, 
were  supposed  to  be  belter  able  to  supply  the  wants 
of  its  inhabitants  than  those  of  Great  Britain  were  to 
supply  her  own  at  that  period.  How  was  it  possible 
to  ascertain  this  but  from  surmise?  In  England  it 
was  a  measure  of  parliamentary  inquiry  to  ascertain 
the  state  of  the  population  exactly.  Why  should  not 
the  like  policy  obtain  with  respect  to  Ireland  ? — Sure- 
ly, since  the  union  of  both  nations  has  been  formed, 
Ireland  is  entitled  to  the  same  advantages  with  Eng- 
land.    In  short,  a  knowledge  of  the  real  state  of  any 


16  INTRODUCTION. 

country  is  of  such  material  importance  to  any  one 
wishing  to  promote  its  welfare,  as  to  be  evident  on 
first  contemplation,  since  without  it  conjecture  must 
supply  the  place  of  certainty,  and  so  perhaps  occa- 
sion material  error  and  confusion.  As  this  object  is 
of  such  national  consequence,  I  hope  m.y  countrymen 
will  be  kind  enough  to  furnish  the  means  to  render 
me  able,  as  T  am  wilhng,  to  make  them  acquainted 
with  their  real  importance  ;  and  in  proportion  to  the 
extent  of  documents  will  be  the  accuracy  of  the  re- 
sult ;  but  I  esteem  even  a  partial  return  of  such  mo- 
ment, that  I  earnestly  request  every  person  inclined  to 
promote  so  desirable  an  object  not  to  withhold  his 
particular  information  ;  for  such  communication  may 
in  time  occasion  the  entire  plan  to  be  brought  to  per- 
fection ;  and  as  I  mentioned  before,  it  is  astonishing 
how  a  few  returns  from  different  parts  of  Ireland, 
according  to  this  model,  will  contribute  to  ascertain 
its  true  state  better  than  it  has  been  ever  hitherto  ac- 
complished. 

Different  motives  of  private  concern  induced  me 
to  resolve  to  quit  Ireland,  in  the  year  1797,  and  to  go 
to  reside  in  America,  and  this  I  purposed  to  do  as 
soon  as  the  regulation  of  my  affairs  would  permit  me. 
I  was  mostly  in  the  county  of  Wexford  in  the  latter 
end  of  1797,  and  beginning  of  1798  ;  but  my  attend- 
ance in  Dublin  was  sometimes  necessary  upon  law 
business,  which  I  at  length  flattered  myself  I  had 
finally  got  rid  of  by  compromise.  In  the  latter  end 
of  April,  therefore,  I  took  leave  of  my  friends,  as  my 
proposed  short  stay  in  Ireland  would  not  allow  me 
the  opportunity  of  seeing  them  again ;  as  I  had  de- 
termined to  go  immediately  to  England,  and  from 
thence  to  America.  In  this  project  I  was  most  un- 
happily disappomted,  as  a  part  of  the  compromise, 
which  was,  that  my  furniture  should  be  taken  at  a 


INTRODUCTION.  17 

valuation,  was  not  complied  with  ;  and  I  was,  there- 
fore, reluctantly  obliged  to  remain  in  the  country,  un- 
til I  could,  as  I  thought,  dispose  of  them  by  auction, 
which  I  advertised  would  take  place  on  Monday  the 
28th  of  May.  I  am  thus  particular,  to  counteract 
the  malevolent  insinuations  of  my  enemies,  and  as  it 
was  this  disappointment  that  occasioned  my  detention 
in  the  county  of  Wexford  until  the  commencement 
of  the  disturbances  ;  by  which  I  lost  all  my  furniture, 
and  all  else  that  could  be  taken  from  me,  except  what 
I  had  on  my  back,  and  about  my  person.  Had  I  had 
any  possible  intimation  of  the  calamities  that  ensued, 
I  most  undoubtedly  would  have  preferred  settling  my 
property  even  at  a  loss,  and  securing  the  value,  to 
waiting  to  be  detained  against  my  will  in  that  unfor- 
tunate country ;  and  I  would  thus  have  escaped  en- 
during those  sufferings  and  persecutions  that  after- 
ward fell  to  my  lot.  The  particulars  of  the  situation 
I  was  in  previous  to,  and  at  the  breaking  out  of  the 
insurrection  comes  more  properly  in  my  general  ac- 
count. Until  the  2Sth  of  May  I  got  on  board  a  ship 
in  Wexford  harbor,  and  did  all  in  my  power  to  in- 
duce the  captain  to  sail  for  England  ;  and  on  its  be- 
ing objected  that  there  was  not  a  sufficiency  of  pro- 
visions on  board  the  Adventure,  which  was  the  name 
of  the  ship,  just  then  arrived  with  a  cargo  of  coals,  I 
proposed  we  should  shift  on  board  another  vessel  be- 
longing to  the  same  proprietor,  which  had  cleared 
out  off  the  Custom-house  quay  laden  with  oats, 
which  I  represented  would,  in  case  of  necessity,  sup- 
ply our  wants  during  our  passage  ;  but  the  low  state 
of  the  ebbing  tide  and  contrary  winds  prevented 
either  of  these  ships,  both  being  heavily  laden,  from 
possibly  crossing  the  bar  of  Wexford  harbor,  which 
they  could  not  do  but  at  high  tide. 

Frustrated  in  every  wish  to  leave  the  country,  be- 


18  INTRODUCTION. 

fore  and  after  the  insurrection  broke  out,  what  could 
I  do  but  submit  to  my  evil  fate,  and  remain  in  a 
place  delivered  up,  and  abandoned,  by  those  who 
should  have  been  its  natural  protectors,  to  the  mercy 
of  an  uncontrollable  multitude  ?  My  popularity  in 
the  country,  and  my  intimacy  with  the  greater  num- 
ber of  its  gentlemanly  inhabitants,  of  whom  many  re- 
mained in  Wexford,  placed  me  in  a  very  unenviable 
situation.  It  made  my  friends  imagine  that  I  pos- 
sessed a  plenitude  of  power,  and  induced  them  to 
apply  to  me  for  protection  from  popular  fury,  either 
personally  or  through  some  one  of  their  family.  I  never 
hesitated,  on  these  occasions,  to  risk  my  own  life  to 
preserve  that  of  others,  and  never  heard  or  saw  of  any 
one  in  danger,  that  I  did  not  use  every  effort  for  their 
preservation.  If  greater  expectations  were  formed 
of  me  than  what  I  could  effect,  I  have  to  regret  the 
limitation  of  my  power.  I  most  solemnly  declare, 
that  during  the  insurrection,  I  never  omitted  a  single 
opportunity  of  being  as  serviceable  as  in  my  power, 
by  administering  comfort  to  the  afflicted  and  dis- 
tressed, or  every  assistance  I  could  to  those  in  dan- 
ger. Some  are  found  grateful  enough  to  acknow- 
ledge the  fact.  There  were  three  gentlemen  appre- 
hensive I  might  resent  former  conduct,  but  when 
misfortune  intervened  T  threw  away  resentment. 
One  of  them  had,  upon  previous  occasion,  treated  me 
so  ill,  that  I  had  determined  to  chastise  him  to  the 
utmost  of  my  power  ;  but  they  all  now  acknowledge 
that,  forgetful  of  personal  injury,  I  risked  my  life  for 
the  preservation  of  theirs.  My  conduct  during  the 
insurrection,  as  far  as  it  is  necessary  to  be  known, 
properly  belongs  to  the  history  of  the  times  ;  and  so 
I  shall  proceed  to  a  relation  of  my  persecutions  and 
sufferings. 

Lord   Kingsborough   and   his   officers  conceived 


INTRODUCTION.  19 

themselves  under  such  obligations  to  me,  that  at 
their  entreaty  I  lived  in  the  same  house  with  them, 
from  the  surrender  of  the  town  until  the  29th  of 
June,  when  they  departed  for  Waterford.  Being 
well  aware  of  malice  and  obloquy,  I  constantly  ex- 
pressed a  desire,  during  their  stay,  to  be  brought 
to  trial,  for  any  allegation  that  might  be  framed 
against  me  ;  and  I  am  now  confident,  that  had  it  been 
possible  to  procure  any  proof  against  me,  it  would 
by  no  means  have  been  neglected ;  but  this  being 
impracticable,  even  in  such  crazy  times,  other  means 
of  deep  malignity  were  resorted  to  ;  and  these,  as 
well  as  I  am  hitherto  acquainted  with  them,  I  shall 
endeavor  to  describe.  My  former  intention  of  going 
to  America  was  by  no  means  lessened,  but  aug- 
mented, by  the  scenes  of  which  I  had  so  recently 
been  a  witness  in  my  native  country.  I  accord- 
ingly persisted  in  my  resolution,  and  was  deter- 
mined to  get  out  of  the  country  as  speedily  as  pos- 
sible. The  committee. that  had  been  appointed  by 
Lieutenant-General  Lake,  to  act  as  a  kind  of  coun- 
cil to  General  Hunter,  then  in  command  in  Wex- 
ford, and  to  grant  passes,  now  began  to  practise 
their  malicious  arts  against  me,  which  they  avoided 
before,  being  apprehensive,  if  not  well  aware,  that 
their  schemes  would  be  counteracted  and  defeated, 
if  attempted  to  be  put  in  execution  while  the  officers 
who  were  acquainted  with  my  conduct  remained  in 
Wexford.  I  received  a  note  from  the  chairman  of 
this  committee,  (and  it  was  delivered  to  me  by  one 
of  the  body,  whom  I  then  considered  as  my  friend,) 
desiring  I  would  write  to  him,  stating  what  I  would 
wish  to  be  done,  and  that  my  request  would  be 
taken  into  immediate  consideration.  This  induced 
me  to  write  to  them,  intimating  the  desire  I  had 
so  often  expressed  of   going  to  America;    adding, 


20  INTRODUCTION. 

that  I  wished  to  set  off  the  next  day,  in  order  to 
sail  in  a  ship  then  in  the  harbor  of  Dublin ;  and  this 
determination  I  would,  in  all  probability,  have  since 
put  in  execution,  but  that  1  considered  it  might  have 
given  freer  sanction  to  the  calumnies  so  industri- 
ously raised  against  me.  This  consideration  has 
detained  me  in  Ireland,  as  here  I  was  the  better  en- 
abled to  vindicate  my  honor ;  and  this,  indeed,  my 
persecutors  have  completely  effected,  quite  in  con- 
tradiction to  their  inclinations  and  wishes.  The 
immediate  coiuideration  of  the  committee  was,  in 
consequence  of  p7'emeditation,  to  send  back  the 
gentleman  who  brought  me  the  note,  and  took  my 
answer,  to  arrest  me.  This  he  did  at  my  lodgings, 
where  I  was  publicly  known  to  be  since  the  insur- 
rection, and  two  yeomen  were  there  placed  as  a 
guard  over  me.  This  whole  conduct,  from  several 
circumstances  of  which  I  have  since  come  to  the 
knowledge,  was  certainly  preconcerted.  Had  I 
been  sent  to  jail,  it  would  have  been  productive 
of  a  trial  by  court-martial ;  and  this  was  a  benefit 
which  they  did  not  wish  to  allow  me,  as  they  were 
well  aware  of  the  sentiments  of  the  officers,  whom  I 
would  have  summoned  back  to  Wexford.  Besides, 
some  individuals  among  them  were  most  ungrate- 
fully induced  to  forward  the  vile  proceedings  against 
me,  as  they  were  apprehensive  I  might  call  on  them 
as  witnesses,  when  their  loyalty  might  have  been 
called  in  question,  were  they  to  do  justice  to  my 
conduct ;  and  it  may  also  have  been  manifested,  that 
whatever  honor  some  of  them  now  possess,  is  owing 
to  their  taking  my  advice  in  preference  to  their  own  ; 
as,  if  they  escaped  piking  on  the  one  side,  they  might 
have  been  hanged  on  the  other,  and  with  much  more 
justice  than  several  who  have  forfeited  their  lives  on 
the  occasion.     To  transport  me,  without  further  iji» 


INTRODUCTION.  21 

quiry,  was  therefore  considered  more  advisable. 
Several,  who  had  been  tried  and  sentenced  to  trans- 
portation, were  taken,  on  the  3d  of  July,  from  the 
jail,  and  put  on  board  a  sloop  which  had  been  twice 
condemned  during  the  insurrection,  and  which  had 
sunk  within  a  foot  of  her  deck,  and  was  only 
pumped  out  that  morning.  Afterward  a  guard  was 
sent  to  my  lodgings,  and  I  was  marched  down  to  the 
Custom-house  quay,  in  the  most  conspicuous  man- 
ner, and  put  on  board  this  horrid  hulk,  without  any 
trial  or  further  investigation  !  !  ! 

Two  sloops  had  been  prepared  as  prison-ships 
during  the  insurrection  ;  one  of  them,  however,  was 
immediately  condemned  as  unfit  for  that  service,  and 
afterward,  on  the  occasion  of  Lord  Kingsborough 
and  his  officers  being  put  on  board  for  a  few  hours, 
she  was  again,  on  the  inspection  of  the  butchers  of 
Wexford,  pronounced  unfit  for  the  reception  of  a 
pig.  After  this  second  condemnation,  the  Lovely 
Kitty  (for  so  this  infernal  vessel  was  called)  was 
hauled  to  one  side  of  the  harbor,  where,  from  her 
leaky  state,  she  sunk  within  a  foot  of  her  deck,  and 
so  escaped  firing  when  the  other  sloop  which  had 
been  used  as  a  prison-ship  was  burned.  This  was- 
the  vessel  the  Wexford  committee  ordered  to  be 
their  prison-ship  ;  and  accordingly,  on  the  3d  of 
July,  she  was  hauled  into  the  channel,  a  little  dry 
straw  was  shaken  over  that  which  had  remained  in 
her  hold  for  a  month  before,  and  the  prisoners  then 
were  sent  on  board.  Our  walking  on  the  fresh  litter 
soon  made  it  as  wet  as  the  dung  underneath,  so  that 
it  was  impossible  to  sit  or  lie  without  imbibing  the 
moisture  ;  nor  indeed  could  we  have  the  comfort  of 
resting  against  her  sides,  as  the  planks  were  water- 
soaked,  and  the  effervescence  of  putrid  malt,  accu- 
mulated between  her  timbers,  was  so  strong  as  even 


22  INTRODUCTION. 

to  turn  silver  black  in  our  pockets,  in  the  course  of 
a  few  hours.  The  stench  was,  besides,  insupport- 
able ;  and  there  was  such  an  infestation  of  rats,  that 
some  of  the  prisoners  were  bitten  by  them.  The 
weather  at  the  time  was  mostly  warm,  and  this 
raised  such  an  exhalation,  that  small  as  the  vessel 
was,  we  could  scarcely  see  each  other  from  either 
end  of  the  hold.  If  it  rained,  the  deck  was  so  open, 
that  it  was  impossible,  in  any  part  of  the  ship,  to 
avoid  being  wetted  ;  and  contrary  to  the  usual  state 
of  leaky  vessels,  (where  the  bilge-water  is  not  offen- 
sive,) we  were  nearly  suffocated  while  she  was 
pumping.  In  our  own  defence  we  were  obliged  to 
be  continually  at  the  pump,  to  prevent  our  being 
overflowed  ;  and  though  our  last  occupation  at  night, 
we  were  always  summoned  to  the  same  task  early 
every  morning ;  the  water,  by  this  time,  having  got 
above  the  double  flooring, — a  cautionary  plan  always 
used  in  vessels  employed  in  the  transportation  of 
malt. 

Among  the  twenty-one  doomed  to  this  dreadful 
and  loathsome  confinement  (which  I  believe  not  to 
be  paralleled  by  any  dungeon  in  the  world)  there 
were  desperate  villains  and  scums  of  the  earth  ;  a 
circumstance  more  degrading  and  offensive  to  a  lib- 
eral mind  than  any  other  punishment,  when  unable 
to  avoid  such  intercourse,  and  this  was  the  case 
aboard  the  Lovely  Kitty,  whose  burden  was  but  about 
fifty  tons.  This  aggravation  was  verily  and  avow- 
edly intended  by  the  merciless  persecutors ;  for 
when  one  of  them  was  told,  on  his  coming  on  board, 
of  our  desperate  situation,  /  heard  hi??i  assert,  that 
"we  had  no  reason  to  complain,  since  the  vessel  had 
been  fitted  out  by  the  rebels,  she  ivas  good  enough 
for  us  /"  Our  guards  were,  at  first,  seven  yeomen 
of  the  Shilmalier  infantry,  afterwards  called  Ogle's 


INTRODUCTION.  23 

Loyal  Blues.  These  were  relieved  every  iwenly- 
four  hours  ;  and  indeed  they  were  apparently  hu 
mane.  One  of  them  was  an  apprentice  to  a  car- 
penter who  used  to  work  at  my  father's,  and  offered 
to  be  particularly  kind  to  me.  He  promised  to  bring 
me  my  bed,  and  represented  it  would  not  become 
wet  through  in  the  course  of  the  night,  but  that  he 
would  continue  to  dry  it  in  the  day-time,  in  which 
he  hoped  to  be  assisted  by  another  young  man,  his 
fellow-apprentice  ;  and  proposed  to  arrange  it  so  as 
that  they  would  evei-y  day  mount  guard  alternately. 
He,  however,  said  that  he  could  not  act  without  the 
permission  of  his  captain,  the  Right  Hon.  George 
Ogle.  With  this  gentleman  I  formerly  kept  com- 
pany, as  our  families  were  neighbors,  and  visited 
each  other.  I  therefore  thought,  as  well  as  from  the 
favorable  opinion  which  he  before  constantly  ex- 
pressed of  me,  that  his  prejudice,  or  bigotry,  could 
not  make  him  forget  good  manners  so  far  as  not  to 
answer  a  letter  from  me  on  such  an  occasion.  I  did 
of  course  address  him  one,  but  certainly  not  in  the 
strain  of  a  prisoner,  which  I  knew  I  ought  not  to  be, 
but  as  one  gentleman  wovild  write  to  another,  giving 
an  account  of  my  distressing  and  unmerited  situation. 
This  letter  the  Right  Hon.  George  Ogle  laid  before 
the  Wexford  committee,  and  declared  that  he  would 
not  permit  any  of  his  corps  to  go  on  such  an  errand. 
Of  this  I  was  informed  by  a  letter  from  the  secretary 
of  the  committee,  which  I  preserve  for  the  inspec- 
tion of  the  curious.  It  was  intimated,  that  if  I 
wanted  my  bed,  the  committee  would  grant  a  pass 
to  any  other  messenger  I  could  procure,  to  bring  it 
to  me  ;  but  this  was  impossible  at  the  time,  as  mil- 
itary law  existed  in  such  rigor,  and  it  was  a  great 
while  afterwards  before  I  could  procure  a  bed  to  be 
brought  me.    The  good-natured  yeoman  who  offered 


24  INTRODUCTIOX. 

me  his  kind  service,  was  checked  by  his  captain  for 
demeaning  himself  by  speaking  to  the  prisoners, 
and  he  soon  after  quitted  the  corps  in  disgust,  and 
enrolled  himself  with  a  captain  more  congenial  to 
his  disposition  and  feelings. 

I  applied  to  General  Hunter  to  be  liberated  under 
a  general  proclamation  which  he  had  pubhshed,  and 
he  asked  the  committee,  by  what  authority  I  had 
been  at  all  confined.  He  was  there  informed,  con- 
trary to  all  truth,  that  I  had  petitioned  for  transpor- 
tation ;  and  the  answer  I  received  from  him  in  conse- 
quence of  this  misinformation  was,  that  it  exceeded 
his  power  to  liberate  me.  I  instantly  memorialized 
the  general  a  second  time,  stating  that  I  had  never  the 
most  distant  idea  of  petitioning  for  transportation,  and 
solicited  enlargement  or  trial.  Upon  this  the  general 
again  apphed  to  the  committee  ;  and  they  had  the 
effrontery  to  repeat  and  insist  on  their  former  asser- 
tion, persisting  in  falsehood  to  sanction  their  iniqui- 
tous proceeding.  The  general  not  being  as  yet  sen- 
sible of  the  extent  of  their  persecuting  spirit,  and 
naturally  conceiving  that  the  principal  gentlemen  of 
the  county,  who  composed  the  committee,  would  not 
assert  a  lie,  was  induced  to  give  them  credence  in 
preference  to  a  prisoner  ;  but  still,  from  the  consid- 
eration of  my  statement,  he  advised  me  to  address 
the  lord  lieutenant,  and  that  he  would  forward  it  with 
his  strongest  recommendation.  I  accordingly  did  so, 
but,  as  misrepresentation  respecting  me  was  practised 
in  every  quarter,  to  prevent  a  detection  of  the  original 
villany,  I  had  no  better  success  then  with  his  excel- 
lency. 

I  cannot  omit  mentioning  a  fellow-prisoner  of  mine 
on  this  occasion — Master  James  Lett,  thirteen  years 
old,  (but  little  for  his  age,)  a  near  relative  of  Mr. 
Bagnal  Harvey,  was  a  child  of  such  undaunted  spirit 


INTRODUCTION.  23 

and  courage,  that  he  manifested  a  most  heroical  dis- 
position at  the  battles  of  Ross  and  Fook's-mill,  and 
was  after  the  insurrection  taken  up  and  put  in  jail. 
He  was  threatened  to  be  hanged  ifTie  did  not  sign  a 
petition  for  transportation  presented  to  him  as  a 
great  favor ;  and  as  a  further  inducement  he  was  told, 
that  he  would  be  let  go  off  with  Mr.  Hay,  (this  in- 
timation was  signified  to  Master  Lett  before  I  was 
arrested,  or  had  written  to  the  chairman  of  the  Wex- 
ford committee,  which  letter  was  their  excuse  for 
their  premeditated  scheme  lo  entrap  me.)  The  little 
hero  signed  the  paper  required,  and  on  my  being 
dropped  down  into  the  hold  of  the  Lovely  Kitty, 
where  he  was  before  me,  he  clung  to  me  and  ex- 
claimed, "  I  don't  care  where  I  go,  when  I  am  to  he 
loith  you  /"  If  nothing  else  was  attracting  in  the 
child,  surely  in  this  instance  I  could  not  be  insensible 
to  such  pathetic  feeling.  Captain  Keen  of  the  royal 
navy  hearing  of  this  wonderful  boy,  asked  him  wheth- 
er he  would  be  glad  to  go  with  him  ?  which  he  con- 
sented to,  and  in  a  day  or  two  after  he  was  conducted 
by  the  captain  on  board  the  Chapman,  and  where  I 
understand  he  was  intended  for  a  midshipman.  I 
rejoiced  in  the  release  of  my  little  companion,  but  had 
the  mortification  of  seeing  him  brought  in  a  few  days 
back  to  the  infernal  prison-ship  !  His  return  is  said  to 
have  been  occasioned  by  the  representations  of  the 
committee  to  Captain  Keen  :  "  That  he  had  no  right 
to  release  any  prisoner,  as  they  claimed  the  exclusive 
privilege  of  the  management  of  their  prisoners  ! !  /" 
On  my  removal  to  the  jail  the  child  grieved  immod- 
erately, which  being  made  known  to  General  Hun- 
ter, he  was  ordered  to  be  sent  to  me.  Notwithstand- 
ing many  applications  had  been  made  for  his  release, 
they  were  counteracted  through  the  representations 
of  the  committee ;  and  to  the  eternal  shame  of  those 
3 


26  INTRODUCTION. 

concerned — persons  of  distinction  were  tne  promo- 
ters ! 

In  January,  1799,  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus  was 
obtained,  and  Master  Lett  was  brought  by  the  sub- 
sheritf  of  the  county  of  Wexford,  from  Wexford  jail 
to  the  court  of  King's  Bench,  in  Dublin,  and  on  in- 
quiry for  the  prisoner  he  was  held  up  on  a  man's 
arm,  to  the  utter  astonishment  of  Lord  Kilvvarden, 
and  thus  was  prejudice  scouted  out  of  the  court  by 
his  hberation.  This,  I  believe,  unexampled  case, 
took  place  in  the  presence  of  a  full  attendance  of  the 
gentlemen  of  the  bar,  who  had  crowded  to  see  such 
a  phenomenon,  as  from  the  child's  appearance  it  was 
thought  he  wanted  the  superintendence  of  a  nurse 
more  than  a  jailer. 

After  a  few  days  the  Wexford  yeomen  infantry 
were  appointed  to  guard  the  prison-ship,  and  were 
restricted  not  to  depart  for  twenty-four  hours.  Among 
them  were  gentlemen  of  my  acquaintance,  from 
♦whose  society  I  experienced  much  comfort  in  my 
calamitous  situation  ;  but  the  loathsome  station  of 
duty  soon  deprived  me  of  this  alleviation  of  suffering. 
All  those  of  the  better  sort  rejected  the  hateful  ser- 
vice and  paid  smartly  for  substitutes.  The  hirelings 
considered  spirits  as  the  only  specific  against  conta- 
gion, and  the  use  of  them  did  not  improve  the  man- 
ners of  the  lowest  description  of  yeomen.  Two  of 
our  guards  died,  in  consequence  of  sickness  con- 
tracted in  this  service,  but  none  of  the  prisoners,  al- 
though some  got  dangerously  ill. 

Li  consequence  of  the  opinion  of  a  most  eminent 
physician  in  Dublin,  that  it  would  be  more  humane 
to  order  mc  to  be  shot,  than  to  leave  me  in  such  a 
situation,  being  made  known  to  General  Lake,  through 
General  (now  Sir  John)  Craddock,  he  sent  down  or- 
ders to  inquire  more  particularly  into  the  state  of  my 


INTRODUCTION.  27 

case ;  and  General  Hunter  accordingly  sent  Doctor 
Jacob  to  visit  me.  The  result  was,  that  after  five 
weeks'  confinement,  in  such  a  mansion  of  wretched- 
ness, I  was  removed  tp  the  jail ;  but  my  health  had 
become  so  impaired,  that  I  much  fear  it  may  never 
be  perfectly  re-estabhshed.  Doctor  Jacob  paid  me 
two  visits  :  I  paid  him  for  his  attendance  and  wished 
him  to  continue  ;  but  such  was  my  lot,  that  however 
much  I  stood  in  need  of  it,  I  could  not  procure  med- 
ical assistance  !  In  my  own  conception  this  neglect 
was  occasioned  by  a  complaint  of  the  hardship  of 
my  case  to  Doctor  Jacob,  upon  which  he  promised 
to  bring  me  a  copy  of  what  1  had  written  to  the  com- 
mittee, which  they  alleged  to  be  a  petition  for  trans- 
portation. He  brought  me  an  application  of  mine  to 
General  Hunter,  which  he  said  was  the  only  paper 
that  he  could  see  or  find  relative  to  me  ;  and  he  af- 
terwards avoided  me,  lest  in  visiting  me  he  might  let 
out  any  thing  that  should  lead  to  a  detection  of  the 
schemes  of  the  committee.  I  could  not  even  after- 
wards procure  his  attendance  as  a  magistrate,  on  dis- 
covering in  the  jail  of  Wexford,  the  murderer  of  Mr. 
Nowlan,  of  Greek-street  in  Dublin,  whence  he  had 
fled,  but  was  apprehended  as  a  stranger,  not  being 
able  to  give  a  good  account  of  himself,  and  lodged  in 
prison.  Apprehensive  that  this  man  might  be  let 
out,  I  sent  to  Doctor  Jacob,  as  mayor  of  Wexford, 
to  state  to  Mm  the  reasons  for  his  detention  until  I 
could  get  an  answer  of  a  letter  I  had  written  to  Dub- 
lin, but  Doctor  Jacob  did  not  attend  ;  yet  so  right 
was  I,  that  on  my  information,  the  man  was  ordered 
to  Dublin,  where  he  turned  king's  evidence  against 
his  accomplices,  who  were  accordingly  brought  to 
trial,  condemned,  and  executed.  '  The  same  reason 
I  do  suppose  operated  on  the  doctor,  on  this  as  well 
as  former  occasions  :   and  had  it  not  been  for  the 


28  INTRODUCTION. 

jailer,  who  prevailed  on  the  military  commander  to 
detain  this  fellow,  who  had  been  taken  up  only  as  a 
suspicious  stranger,  he  might  have  escaped. 

Brigade-major  Fitzgerald  was  sent  to  me  from 
General  Hunter,  to  inquire  particularly  into  my  sit- 
uation, and  I  demonstrated  it  to  him,  from  most  au- 
thentic and  convincing  documents,  in  such  a  manner, 
that  I  cannot  convince  the  world  of  his  conviction  of 
the  iniquitous  practices  of  the  committee  against  me, 
better  than  in  his  own  words,  in  a  letter  written  to 
me  at  a  subsequent  period,  which  is  inserted  in  the 
Appendix,  No.  II. 

I  presented  in  all  thirteen  or  fourteen  memorials 
to  be  liberated  or  tried,  but  the  active  malevolence 
of  my  persecutors  prevented  them  from  being  attend- 
ed to.  In  the  month  of  January,  1799,  I  made  an 
application  to  be  removed  to  Dublin.  A  writ  of  ha- 
beas corpus  was  accordingly  issued  from  the  court 
of  King's  Bench,  ordering  the  sheriff  of  the  county 
to  bring  me  up,  and  a  notice  was  served  on  the  at- 
torney-general to  come  forward,  if  he  had  any  charge 
against  me.  This  was  however  superseded  by  a 
secretary's  warrant  being  sent  to  General  Grose  ;  he 
detained  me  upon  it,  and,  although  I  then  became  a 
state  prisoner,  I  had  none  of  the  advantages  or  in- 
dulgences allowed  people  in  that  situation,  and  of 
which,  from  my  state  of  health,  I  stood  in  utmost 
need.  The  suspension  of  the  habeas*  corpus  act 
obliged  me  to  put  up  with,  my  situation,  and  I  must 
have  remained  a  prisoner,  God  knows  how  long,  had 
not  my  persecutors  overshot  their  mark,  by  endeavor- 
ing to  smuggle  me  off  in  a  manner  contrary  to  every 
law  known  or  enacted  in  this  country  ;  not  resting 
content  with  having  me  a  state  prisoner,  from  which 
situation  I  could  not  have  extricated  myself,  if  not 
enabled  by  their  iniquity. 


INTRODUCTION.  29 

The  prisoners  which  had  been  first  tried  by  court- 
martial  in  Wexford,  and  sentenced  to  transportation, 
previous  to  the  passing  of  the  law  that  legalized  trial 
by  court-martial,  were  held  over  till  the  spring  assizes 
of  1799.  My  name  was  returned  in  the  crown-book 
as  under  sentence  of  transportation,  and  I  should 
have  been  sent  off  immediately  after  the  assizes,  along 
with  all  the  rest  of  the  proscribed,  had  I  not  made  an 
appUcation,  by  letter,  to  Judge  Chamberlain,  denying 
that  I  had  ever  been  tried,  or  petitioned  for  transpor- 
tation; and  that,  as  he  himself  had  granted  a  writ  of 
habeas  corpus,  to  have  me  removed  to  Dublin  the 
January  before,  I  considered  myself  under  his  pro- 
tection, and  that  of  the  court  of  King's  Bench  ;  and 
hoped  that  my  situation,  as  unfortunate  as  unmerit- 
ed, which  I  was  ready  to  prove,  would  induce  him 
not  to  sanction  any  sentence  of  transportation  against 
me.  My  letter  was  delivered  to  him  as  he  was  going 
into  court,  and  he  held  it  in  his  hand,  while  he  pub- 
licly declared  from  the  bench,  that,  "  although  he 
did  not  usually  attend  to  private  letters  in  his  judicial 
capacity,  yet  he  had  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Hay, 
a  prisoner  then  confined  in  the  jail  of  Wexford,  and 
that,  if  the  contents  of  it  were  true,  his  situation  must 
be  deplorable  indeed  ;  and  he  added,  that  if  nothing 
appeared  against  him,  he  would  liberate  him  next 
day."  The  letter  at  the  request  of  the  grand  jury 
was  delivered  to  them,  and  it  was  now  found  abso- 
lutely necessary,  for  my  detention,  to  procure  infor- 
mations against  me.  Accordingly  a  magistrate  came 
down  to  the  jail,  and  called  for  a  noted  informe?; 
(since  condemned  to  be  hanged  for  murder,  but  whose 
sentence  was  commuted  to  transportation,  for  his 
services,)  brought  him  into  the  jailer's  apartments,  in 
an  adjoining  house,  called  the  bridewell,  over  which 
I  was  confined,  and  the  ceiling  under  me  was  so  bad, 
3* 


30  INTRODUCTIOIf. 

that,  listening  with  attention,  I  could  hear  a  great 
deal  of  what  passed  below  stairs.  In  such  a  situa 
tion,  it  is  natural  to  suppose  I  availed  myself  of  this 
advantage,  and  could  distinctly  hear  the  informer 
threatened  to  be  hanged  if  he  would  not  swear  against 
me  ;  and  it  was  promised  that  his  life  should  be 
spared  if  he  would.  Conversation  followed  now  and 
then  in  a  higher  tone,  so  that  I  was  able  to  under- 
stand that  the  informer  would  not  swear  to  the  ex- 
aminations first  proposed  and  brought  ready  written, 
in  the  magistrate's  own  handwriting,  and  he  now,  out 
of  fury  and  disappointment,  tore  them  to  pieces. 
Threats,  however,  at  last  prevailed  on  the  murderer 
to  swear  to  other  examinations  framed  in  a  more  pal- 
atable form  against  me.  The  name  of  another  gen- 
tleman I  also  heard  mentioned  ;  but  the  point  of 
swearing  against  him  was  not  insisted  on.  When 
the  magistrate  departed,  I  asked  to  be  let  out  to  walk, 
and  accosted  the  informer  on  meeting  him,  to  know 
how  was  it  possible  for  him  to  swear  any  thing  against 
me  ?  He  told  me,  that  as  he  had  heard  me  say  I 
was  not  afraid  of  any  thing  that  might  be  sworn 
against  me,  he  thought  it  no  harm,  as  it  was  to  save 
his  own  life  ;  and  that  certainly  what  he  had  sworn 
could  not  affect  mine.  After  minutely  relating  the 
story  of  his  being  so  obliged  to  swear,  (and  which 
perfectly  coincided  with  what  I  was  able  to  hear,)  he 
put  me  in  the  way  of  getting  the  scraps  of  the  torn 
examinations,  which  I  immediately  set  about  arrang- 
ing, and  have  them  now  pasted  together  in  regular 
order,  as  an  existing,  incontrovertible  proof  of  the 
subornation,  and  unravelling  the  whole  of  the  nefari- 
ous plot  formed  against  me,  as  well  as  exposing  the 
atrocious  deed  of  the  magistrate.  This  I  meant  to 
have  proved  on  my  trial,  by  producing  the  identical 
magistrate,  and  pulling  the  document  into  his  hand 


INTRODUCTION.  31 

for  avowal ;  but  my  lawyers  would  not  suffer  me  to 
produce  any  evidence,  when  counsel  for  the  crown 
gave  up  the  prosecution ;  otherwise  the  public  would 
have  been  in  possession  of  several  transactions  in  a 
far  fuller  manner  than  I  can  set  forth  at  present.  I 
was  nine  months  confined  before  any  charge  on  oath 
was  made  against  me  ;  and  this,  it  must  be  thought, 
was  sufficient  time  to  bring  forth  any  human  concep- 
tion, and  ought  then  to  have  naturally  entitled  me  to 
a  political  delivery. 

The  grand  jury  now  found  bills  of  indictment 
against  me  for  high  treason.  There  were  several 
ladies  and  gentlemen  at  tea  with  me,  and  some  of  my 
fellow-prisoners,  (who  were  afterwards  honorably  ac- 
quitted,) in  the  evening,  when  a  gentleman  came  to 
visit  me,  as  he  had  done  several  times  before,  and,  in 
the  presence  of  the  whole  company,  he  declared  that 
he  had  been  hooked  in  to  prosecute  me.  He  men- 
tioned, that,  while  listening  to  the  trials  in  the  court- 
house, he  was  summoned  before  the  grand  jury, 
where  he  was  questioned  about  a  conversation  he  had 
unguardedly  held  respecting  me,  which  it  was  repre- 
sented as  his  duty  to  swear  to,  and  he  was  bound 
over  to  prosecute.  He  however  imagined  that  what 
he  had  sworn  could  not  injure  me,  and  he  then  re- 
lated to  us  many  other  circumstances  that  completely 
did  away  what  he  had  said  before  the  grand  jury. 
Several  others  also  came  and  informed  me,  that  upon 
being  summoned  and  sworn  before  this  tribunal,  they 
were  asked  if  they  knew  any  thing  concerning  me 
during  the  insurrection;  and  that  they  acknowledged 
they  did,  with  gratitude,  as  I  had  saved  their  lives  or 
properties,  or  comforted  them  in  one  way  or  other  in 
their  afflictions.  It  was  then  put  to  them  on  their 
oaths  whether  I  could  do  so  without  having  great 
authority  ?     But  this  they  considered  I  had  not,  as 


32  INTRODUCTION. 

they  declared  that  it  was  for  giving  them  information 
of  their  danger,  and  advising  them  how  to  act,  they 
were  indebted  to  me,  and  on  stating  that  they  knew 
nothing  against  me,  they  were  dismissed.  I  was 
brought  down  to  the  court-house  to  be  arraigned,  and 
when  the  indictment  was  read,  I  declared  myself 
ready  for  trial  upon  getting  a  list  of  the  witnesses  to 
be  produced  against  me.  This  Mr.  Justice  Cham- 
berlain ordered  to  be  given  to  me,  but  said  I  should 
not  be  tried  those  assizes,  and  would  not  hsten  to  any 
argument  I  could  urge,  but  instantly  remanded  me 
back  to  jail.  I  have  been  informed,  and  have  good 
reason  to  believe,  that  my  persecutors  represented 
"  they  had  not  entertained  an  idea  that  I  should  not 
be  transported,  and  were  therefore  totally  unprepared 
to  proceed  against  me  ;  and  that  what  made  me  so 
anxious  to  hurry  on  my  trial  was,  that  the  evidence 
they  had  to  produce  against  me  was  not  in  Wexford  ; 
but  that,  against  the  ensuing  assizes,  they  hoped  to 
be  able  to  convict  me  !  !" 

Some  time  after  this,  in  the  summer  of  1799,  a 
distinguished  gentleman  of  property,  and  constant 
grand  juror  of  the  county  of  Wexford,  mentioned  pub- 
licly in  tfie  canal  passage-boat,  on  his  way  to  Dublin, 
that  '^  Mr.  Hay  wanted  several  times  to  be  tried  by 
court-martial,  which  was  unfortunately  prevented,  as 
a  military  tribunal  would  pay  too  much  attention  to 
ladies  and  officers  as  witnesses  for  Mr.  Hay ;  but 
that  a  Wexford  jury  would  not  be  so  squeamish.  It 
was  a  providential  circumstance  that  Mr.  Hay  liad 
himself  demanded  a  trial  by  jury,  as  it  would  inevit- 
ably prove  fatal  to  him,  instead  of  the  boon  of  trans- 
portation intended  for  him."  This  and  many  such 
declarations  the  assertors  are  since  ashamed  of. 

On  all  occasions  that  I  possibly  can,  I  avoid  men- 
tioning names,  as  I  consider  several  have  been  led 


INTRODUCTION.  33 

into  error  through  party  prejudice,  which  compU- 
ment  I  hope  may  secure  the  concurrence  of  many 
gentlemen  in  promoting  union  and  harmony  among 
all  descriptions  of  their  countrymen.  I  regret  that  the 
character  of  an  historian  obliges  me  to  mention  some, 
however,  on  my  part,  free  from  any  intention  of  per- 
sonaHty  or  offence,  but  a  correct  statement  of  facts 
from  authorities  I  deemed  undeniable ;  however, 
should  I  have  been  led  into  any  involuntary  error, 
and  if  any  gentleman  should  think  himself  injured,  I 
shall  be  proud  to  be  undeceived,  and  shall  be  happy, 
on  a  candid  investigation,  to  do  ample  justice  to  him, 
by  declaring  truth  in  the  most  conspicuous  manner. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  times  have  been  such,  that  I 
have  omitted  many  at  their  own  request,  whose  meri- 
torious actions  might  be  recorded  to  their  honor, 
which,  along  with  other  unavoidable  w^ants  may, 
when  prejudice  is  dissipated,  be  published  at  a  future 
period. 

Six  magistrates  of  the  county  afterwards  formed 
themselves  into  an  inquisitorial  court,  consisting  of 
the  Right  Hon.  George  Ogle,  James  Boyd,  Richard 
Newton  King,  Edward  Perceval,  Ebenezer  Jacob, 
M.D.,  and  John  Henry  Lyster,  Esqrs.  They  assem- 
bled at  the  house  of  James  Boyd,  and  summoned 
hundreds  before  them,  whom  they  swore  to  give 
such  information  as  they  could  concerning  the  rebel- 
lion. About  fifty  persons  have  informed  me,  that 
they  were  principally  questioned  concerning  me, 
and  upon  their  acknowledging  that  they  were  in- 
debted to  me  for  life,  property,  or  consolation,  as  the 
case  may  have  been,  they  were  strictly  questioned, 
evidently  with  a  view  to  criminate  me,  whether  I 
could  have  done  so  without  great  power  or  authority 
with  the  insurgents  ;  but  the  consciences  of  these 
persons,   on  their   oaths,  did  not  warrant  them  to 


34  INTRODUCTION. 

make  such  a  deduction  ;  and  on  being  finally  inter- 
rogated whether  they  knew  any  thing  against  me, 
and  answering  in  the  negative,  they  were  dismissed. 
These  persons  also  informed  me,  that  they  had 
heard  several  others  declare,  that  they  had  been 
questioned  about  me,  and  even  some  who  had  no 
personal  knowledge  of  me  whatsoever ;  so  that  I 
have  strong  reason  to  believe,  that  no  means  were 
left  untried  to  criminate  me.  My  conduct  has  cer- 
tainly undergone  stricter  investigation  than  that  of 
any  other  person  in  Ireland,  and  such,  as  I  believe, 
that  of  the  most  unexceptionable  of  my  persecutors 
would  not  pass  through  unblemished  ;  while  mine  is 
irreproachable  in  the  utmost  degree,  having  passed, 
with  unimpeached  honor,  the  ordeal  of  the  Wexford 
inquisition.  We  read  of  nothing  that  has  gone  suclv 
lengths  in  foreign  countries.  Even  the  inquisitors 
are,  by  duty  and  oath,  to  seek  out  all  evidence  as 
well  for  as  against  their  prisoners  ! 

The  summer  assizes,  in  1799,  began  in  W^exford 
on  Monday  the  24th  of  July,  and  being  brought  up 
that  day  to  be  arraigned,  I  was  asked  whether  1  was 
ready  for  trial.  This  question  I  said  I  would  an- 
swer when  furnished  with  a  list  of  the  witnesses  to 
be  produced  against  me.  This  Baron  Smith,  (now 
Sir  Michael  Smith,  Master  of  the  Rolls,)  the  sitting 
judge,  ordered  to  be  delivered  to  me  ;  and  it  was 
sent  to  me  that  evening  by  Mr.  William  Harvey,  the 
agent  for  the  crown.  On  receipt  of  this  I  sent  off 
several  witnesses,  whom  I  had  summoned,  but  for 
whose  attendance  I  now  considered  myself  to  have 
no  occasion.  At  last  my  long-wished-for  trial  came 
forward,  on  Thursday  the  27lh  of  July ;  and  al- 
though I  was  advised  that  I  might  liave  availed  my- 
self of  the  defectiveness  of  the  indictment,  in  point 
of  form,  and  although  I  might  also  have  protected 


INTRODUCTION.  35 

myself  by  the  Amnesty  Act,  if  necessary,  yet  I  dis- 
dained to  adopt  such  subterfuges,  and  declared 
myself  ready  to  meet  the  whole  of  the  charges 
against  me.  Two  only,  out  of  the  four  witnesses 
named  to  me,  were  brought  forward ;  but  their 
cross-examination  completely  did  away  any  thing 
injurious  that  could  be  inferred  from  their  direct  tes- 
timony. One  of  these  was  William  Carty,  the  in- 
former, who  afterwards  pleaded  guilty  to  an  indict- 
ment for  murder,  and  was  condemned  to  death, 
which  sentence,  in  consideration  of  his  services,  was 
commuted  for  transportation  to  Botany  Bay  ;  and 
although  half  what  he  had  sworn  was  false,  and  in- 
vented to  criminate  me,  yet  in  the  event  it  turned 
out  so  much  to  my  honor,  that  my  counsel  thought 
it  not  necessary  to  impeach  his  credit,  which  I  was 
well  prepared  to  do,  he  being  the  principal  evidence 
for  the  crown.  Although  it  be  obvious  to  infer,  that 
furnishing  me  with  a  list  of  the  witnesses  was  a  pal- 
pable consent  to  produce  no  others  against  me  but 
those  named  therein,  yet  on  the  disappointment  of 
the  failure  in  the  evidence  of  the  first  two,  other 
witnesses,  not  named  in  the  list  with  which  I  was 
furnished,  were  produced  ;  and  the  most  material  of 
them  was  sw^orn  of  the  jury  then  trying  me  ;  and  to 
him  I  certainly  would  have  objected,  had  I  not  been 
thrown  off  my  guard  by  the  trick  practised  for  that 
purpose.  I  was  therefore  totally  unprepared  to  re- 
but or  explain  any  evidence  he  might  offer,  as,  on 
receiving  the  list,  I  had  sent  off  witnesses  whose 
testimony  would  have  particularly  borne  upon  any 
thing  he  could  allege.  I  must,  however,  excuse 
Counsellor  O'Driscol,  the  leading  counsel  for  the 
crown,  from  having  any  concern  in  this  vile  transac- 
tion, as  he  most  honorably  declared,  that  he  was  as- 
tonished I  had  not  been  furnished  with  this  man's 


36  INTRODUCTION. 

name,  as  the  purport  of  his  evidence  was  set  forth 
in  his  brief,  which  he  held  up  and  pointed  to  ;  how- 
ever, he  said  duty  obhged  him  to  insist  upon  his 
being  examined  ;  for  that  although  it  was  the  privi- 
lege of  prisoners  accused  of  high  treason  in  Eng- 
land, that  no  other  witnesses  but  those  named  in  the 
lists  furnished  should  be  produced  against  them,  yet 
the  law  did  not  entitle  them  to  such  an  indulgence 
in  Ireland.  Notwithstanding  all  these  disadvantages, 
I  was  honorably  acquitted.  Baron  Smith  declared 
in  his  charge,  that  I  had  undergone  the  most  virulent 
persecution,  that  my  loyalty  was  unimpeachable,  and 
that  if  the  jury  attempted  to  find  me  guilty,  as  some 
juries  had  acted  contrary  to  law  and  justice  at  those 
assizes  in  Wexford,  I  might  take  advantage  of  the 
Amnesty  Bill,  by  moving  arrest  of  judgment,  and 
that  I  should  be  instantly  discharged  ;  so  that  they 
might  as  well  give  me,  at  once,  the  acquittal  I  de- 
served. 

I  walked  about  the  town  publicly  that  evening, 
and  on  the  ensuing  days,  until  the  judges  and  law- 
yers left  Wexford,  on  the  conclusion  of  the  assizes. 
On  Saturday  evening,  the  29th  of  July,  however, 
Genera]  Grose  arrested  me  in  the  street,  and  gave 
me  in  charge  to  the  jailer,  then  along  with  him.  I 
remonstrated  ;  but  was  informed  by  the  general,  that 
it  was  represented  to  him  that  he  could  not  leave 
me  at  liberty  until  he  knew  the  lord  lieutenant's 
pleasure,  as  the  secretary's  warrant,  by  which  I  was 
before  detained,  had  been  directed  to  him.  I  urged 
my  honorable  acquittal,  which  the  general  acknowl- 
edged, but  still  he  would  not  leave  me  at  liberty.  I 
then  requested,  that,  if  he  considered  it  necessary  to 
detain  me,  he  would  make  the  town  my  prison,  and 
might  consider  my  honor  as  his  best  security  ;  but 
that   I   would   procure    him   any   other   security   he 


INTRODUCTION.  37 

would  require.  This  request  was  not  complied  with, 
and  I  was  conducted  back  to  my  former  situation  in 
the  jail,  and  lodged  there  without  any  kind  of  indul- 
gence above  any  other  prisoner.  After  a  lapse  of 
four  days,  however,  the  general  permitted  me  to 
walk  out,  followed  by  a  military  sergeant.  A  near 
relation  of  mine,  on  my  arrest,  set  off  for  Waterford, 
where  the  astonishment  of  all  the  gentlemen  of  the 
Leinster  bar  was  excited  upon  hearing  of  my  appre- 
hension, after  such  an  acquittal  as  that  of  which  they 
had  been  witnesses  ;  particularly  Counsellor  O'Dris- 
col,  the  leading  counsel  for  the  crown  on  my  trial, 
who  offered  to  prove  and  substantiate  my  honorable 
acquittal  in  any  manner  that  my  lawyers  might  sug- 
gest. A  memorial  to  the  lord  lieutenant  was  now 
framed  in  my  behalf,  referring  to  Baron  (now  Sir 
Michael)  Smith,  Master  of  the  Rolls,  and  to  Justice 
Chamberlain,  for  the  truth  of  its  contents  ;  and  pray- 
ing that  no  reference  should  be  made  to  the  Wexford 
gentry,  who  had  already  alleged  so  many  falsehoods 
against  me,  but  to  any  .liberal  man,  of  independent 
mind,  at  all  acquainted  with  the  circumstances  of 
my  case.  This  memorial  was  presented  to  his  Ex- 
cellency Marquis  Cornwallis,  by  the  Earl  of  Don- 
oughmore,  at  whose  residence  he  was  then  on  a 
visit.  The  consequence  was,  that  orders  were  im- 
mediately sent  to  General  Grose  to  liberate  me  ;  and 
I  was  then  released  from  a  confinement  altogether 
of  thirteen  months. 

I  went  to  England  in  November,  1799,  and  re- 
mained there  until  the  month  of  February,  1800. 
Four  days  after  my  arrival  in  Ireland,  a  forged  letter 
was  written  in  my  name  to  Doctor  Jacob,  in  so  un- 
gentlemanly  a  style  as  I  hope  I  shall  never  be  guihy 
of,  against  the  measure  of  the  union.  This  letter 
was  also  one  of  the  dark  contrivances  of  my  perse- 
4 


38  INTRODUCTION. 

cutors,  (who  have  never  come  forward  against  me  in 
an  open  or  manly  manner,)  and  was  evidently  fab- 
ricated in  order  to  get  me  confined,  and  this  I  fortu- 
nately discovered  time  enough  to  prevent  its  execu- 
tion. A  member  of  parliament,  belonging  to  a 
strong  party  in  favor  of  the  union,  luckily  for  me, 
drank  a  little  more  than  ordinary,  and  declared  that 
he  understood  I  had  spent  some  time  in  England, 
where  I  had  paid  visits  to  noblemen  of  the  first  dis- 
tinction, and  had  concerted  plans  against  the  union. 
These  sentiments  of  opposition  I  had  luckily  dis- 
covered in  a  letter  to  Doctor  Jacob,  but  that  I  should 
be  taken  care  of  and  secured  ;  that  certainly  my 
talent  for  procuring  signatures  could  not  be  denied, 
but  that  I  should  have  no  opportunity  of  exerting  it, 
as  I  should  be  taken  up,  to  prevent  the  danger  to  be 
apprehended  from  my  opposition  in  the  county  of 
Wexford.  This  plot  I  had  the  good  fortune  to  dis- 
cover, as  the  information  was  conveyed  to  me  with 
all  the  anxiety  of  friendship,  and  I  found  it  to  be  but 
too  true.  My  object  then  was  to  wait  on  persons  of 
distinction,  well  acquainted  with  my  determination, 
as  a  Cat/iolic,  not  to  interfere  about  the  union,  and  I 
was  promised  their  utmost  interest  and  protection, 
should  any  sinister  measure  against  me  be  attempted. 
Without  this  precaution  against  an  intended  blow, 
of  which  my  friend  got  intelligence  by  mere  acci- 
*dent,  I  should  have  been  taken  up  and  confined 
without  knowing  why  or  wherefore ;  as  it  was 
touching  government,  at  the  time,  in  the  tenderest 
point,  and  had  the  appearance  of  zeal  for  the  union, 
under  the  mask  of  the  basest  imposition.  I  now 
wrote  to  Doctor  Jacob  to  send  me  the  letter,  that  it 
might  enable  me  to  find  out  its  autlior ;  but  was  not 
favored  with  an  answer,  although  I  had  learned  that 
the  doctor  had  declared  that  I  did  not  write  the  let- 


INTRODUCTION.  39 

ter,  which,  I  beheve,  he  perfectly  knew  on  receiving 
it.  An  officer,  who  was  a  friend  of  mine,  was  going 
down  to  the  spring  assizes  of  Wexford,  in  April, 
1800,  and  I  commissioned  him  to  wait  on  the  doctor, 
to  let  him  know,  that  if  he  would  not  produce  the 
letter,  I  should  consider  him  as  its  author,  and  treat 
him  accordingly.  In  consequence  of  this,  the  doctor 
condescended  to  wTite  to  me,  excusing  himself  for 
not  having  answered  my  letters  sooner,  not  being 
able  to  find  the  forgery,  w^hich  he  then  enclosed  to 
me  ;  the  author  I  have  not  yet  been  able  to  dis- 
cover.* 

This  is  a  curious  specimen  of  party  prejudice. 
Those  who  had  influence  could  have  any  one  for 
whom  they  entertained  a  personal  dislike,  taken  up  on 
the  score  of  public  justice  ;  and  too  many  instances 
of  the  kind  occurred,  suggested  by  private  malice. 
The  circumstance  of  my  discovering  this  letter  in 
time  was  rather  fortunate,  as  it  secured  me  powerful 
support  in  case  of  any  future  attempt.  The  times 
were  such,  however,  that  I  considered  it  better  to  be 
peculiarly  cautious  and  circumspect,  to  prevent  the 
possibility  of  my  actions  being  misrepresented  ;  and 
1  even  thought  it  prudent  to  overlook  many  things 
which  I  should  have  properly  noticed  at  any  other 
period ;  but,  as  I  had  dreadful  experience  of  the 
hardship  of  confinement,  I  was  not  willing  to  risk 
again  being  in  the  same  predicament,  although  I 
could  defy  the  utmost  malice  of  my  enemies,  if  they 

*  Sir — Allow  ine  to  acknowledge  the  favor  of  two  letters  from 
you,  on  the  subject  of  one  which  I  some  time  since  received  from 
Dublin,  to  which  your  name  weis,  as  I  am  convinced,  forged  ;  if  I 
could  sooner  have  found  the  forgery,  I  should  have  immediately, 
according  to  your  desire,  enclosed   it  to  you. 

I  am,  sir, 
April  20,  1800.  Your  obedient  humble  servant. 

To  Edward  Hay,  Esq  Ebe.n.  Jacob. 


40  INTRODUCTION. 

would  dare  openly  to  avow  themselves  ;  but  during 
the  suspension  of  the  habeas  corpus  act,  no  man 
could  be  secure  from  the  rancor  of  party-spirit, 
which  I  fear  it  will  still  take  much  time  to  allay,  be- 
fore numbers  are  brought  back  to  their  sober  senses. 
I  have  had  constant  opportunities  of  observing  the 
baleful  effects  of  being  led  away  by  party.  I  have 
known  men,  whom  I  believe  to  be  naturally  well-in- 
clined, if  their  dispositions  were  not  warped  by  the 
virulence  of  such  companions  as  they  think  it  neces- 
sary to  associate  with,  lest  their  loyalty  may  be  oth- 
erwise impeached,  join  in  acts  of  outrage  and  excess; 
varying  their  conduct  according  to  the  temper  of 
their  associates,  or  the  circumstances  that  may  occur, 
and  condescending  now  and  again  to  speak  only  to 
individuals  whom  it  was  happy  for  them  to  meet  in 
the  hour  of  misfortune,  and  to  whom  they  owe  any 
share  of  character  they  still  retain  ;  but  so  lost  to  all 
sense  of  gratitude,  that  the  mere  condescension  of 
speaking  is  never  exhibited  in  the  presence  of  certain 
individuals,  or  where  there  _  may  be  any  possibility 
of  its  being  observed  by  such  characters.  As  for 
myself,  I  was  so  calumniated  and  reviled  during  my 
confinement,  when  I  had  not  the  power  of  counter- 
action, that  evil  rumor  wrought  so  much  on  some  of 
my  former  acquaintances  as  to  occasion  their  as- 
suming the  appearance  of  not  knowing  me  ;  but  I 
was  even  with  them  in  pitying  their  pusillanimity  and 
littleness.  I  was  well  prepared  for  such  occurrences, 
and  I  have  made  it  an  invariable  rule  with  myself, 
not  to  appear  to  know  any  former  acquaintances,  un- 
til first  known  by  them  ;  considering  that  my  misfor- 
tunes entitle  me  to  the  first  compliment ;  and  some 
liave  after  a  time  returned  to  former  civility,  and  ex- 
cused themselves  on  being  undeceived,  as  havincr 
been  misled  by  false  information.     Indeed  the  spirit 


INTRODUCTION.  41 

of  mistaken  loyalty  was  so  zealous,  that  it  induced 
many  to  fabricate  lies  which  required  numberless 
others  to  support  them ;  nay,  the  public  mind  was 
so  Jed  astray,  that  truth  itself,  by  various  miscon- 
structions, was  perverted  into  absolute  falsehood.  I 
remember  on  my  first  coming  to  Dublin  after  my  ac- 
quittal, that  several  persons  told  me  how  distressing 
it  was  to  them  to  hear  many  falsehoods  related  of 
particular  instances  of  which  they  had  themselves 
been  witnesses,  but  which  their  timidity  prevented 
them  from  contradicting.  On  my  mentioning  that  I 
would  not  act  in  a  manner  that  might  sanction  false- 
hood, by  remaining  silent  in  the  presence  of  its 
known  assertors,  I  was  entreated  not  to  give  them  as 
authority. 

I  have  afterwards  chanced  to  fall  into  company 
with  these  retailers  of  fabricated  reports,  and  on  my 
mentioning  facts  as  they  happened,  but  which  I  was 
informed  they  had  previously  misrepresented,  they 
remained  as  silent  as  those  who  some  time  before 
were  overawed  by  their  arrogance.  Others  of  my 
acquaintance  anxiously  inquiring  about  the  heroism 
and  magnanimity  of  their  friends,  have  been  vastly 
disappointed  at  my  not  confirming  the  accounts  they 
had  before  received,  and  my  being  in  truth  obliged 
to  declare  the  contrary.  Upon  being  informed  that 
the  facts  were  reported  quite  otherwise,  I  always 
answered  by  expressing  a  desire  to  be  confronted 
with  the  narrators,  where  it  would  be  easy  to  judge 
who  told  truth.  So  many  and  so  various  have  the 
impositions  on  the  public  been,  that  it  is  truly  aston- 
ishing how  such  a  compilation  of  falsehoods  could 
be  fabricated  and  heaped  together ;  and  it  would, 
indeed,  be  an  Herculean  task  to  attempt  to  answer 
them,  as  it  would  in  general  take  ten  times  the  ex- 
tent of  a  false  story  to  disprove  and  set  it  aside  ;  so 
4* 


42  INTRODUCTION. 

that  it  would  be  too  tedious  and  tiresome  for  public 
perusal,  and  would  prove  an  endless  source  of  con- 
troversy and  contradiction.  I  therefore  do  not  enter 
the  lists  against  any  one,  but  endeavor  to  give  a  true 
statement  of  what  has  happened,  without  attempting 
to  palhate  or  falsify  ;  and  1  request  the  reader  to 
consider  that  I  have  been  an  eye-witness  of  some  of 
the  principal  events,  and  therefore  could  not  readily 
be  imposed  upon.  I  have  besides  the  corroboration 
of  persons  of  all  parties  to  support  me  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  prove  convincing  to  every  one  inclined 
to  hearken  to  truth ;  and  I  am  sure  it  must  prove 
grateful  to  every  benevolent  mind  to  be  convinced, 
that  all  the  horrors  perpetrated  in  the  year  1798, 
were  the  consequence  of  party  prejudice,  now  gen- 
erally supposed  to  have  been  urged  forward  from 
political  motives  to  weaken  the  country,  by  setting 
the  people  by  the  ears.  Troops  were  at  first  em- 
ployed, as  it  were  to  crush  disturbances,  in  order  to 
put  down  one  party ;  and  those  on  the  other  side 
w^ere  not  aware  of  their  situation  until  a  power  was 
established  superior  to  all  parties  ;  and  the  bitterest 
complaints  have  been  made  by  the  opposers  of  the 
union,  that  they  themselves  contributed  most,  wuthout 
knowing  it  until  it  was  too  late,  to  carr>^  that  meas- 
ure. A  dissertation  on  the  union  is  not  my  present 
object :  I  only  vv^ant  to  make  all  ranks  and  degrees 
of  my  countrymen  sensible  that  union  and  harmony 
among  themselves  will  prevent  tlie  possibility  of 
their  being  put  down  by  any  power  on  earth.  Every 
point  of  view  in  which  this  desirable  object  is  put, 
must  contribute  to  show  its  heavenly  principle,  and 
I  hope  this  may. have  due  weight  to  cause  sincere 
endeavors  for  its  accomplishment. 

What  I  consider  most  lamentable  in  Ireland,  is  the 
dreadful  prevalence  of  rehgious  prejudice,  and  its 


INTRODUCTION.  43 

baleful  consequences.  This  is  so  inculcated  even  in 
infancy,  that  it  is  scarcely  to  be  eradicated  by  any 
future  conviction  or  experience,  however  evident  its 
mischief  and  absurdity.  I  shall  endeavor  to  exem- 
plify this  by  a  comparison,  of  the  aptness  of  which 
every  one  must  be  sensible.  Among  the  many 
odious  and  lamentable  impressions  made  on  the  ten- 
der minds  of  children,  when  in  the  care  of  ignorant 
and  illiterate  persons,  none  is  so  general  as  the  terror 
of  ghosts  and  hobgoblins,  related  to  make  them  obe- 
dient. Although  this  all-powerful  remedy  may  for 
the  moment  diminish  the  trouble  of  the  keepers  by 
making  the  children  more  subservient,  yet  it  often 
prevents  the  parents  from  coming  to  the  knowledge 
of  any  thing  it  may  dictate.  I  believe  it  has  come 
within  the  observation  of  every  one,  that  there  are 
persons  of  the  most  undoubted  courage,  who  would 
be  afraid  to  go  up  stairs  in  the  dark,  although  they 
would  face  a  cannon  in  the  day-time ;  and  of  this 
weakness  they  cannot  divest  themselves,  although 
they  may  be  long  convinced  of  the  absurdity  of  such 
notions  ;  for  so  deep  a  root  do  false  ideas  take  in  the 
infant  mind,  that  mature  good  sense  and  conviction 
are  unable  to  shake  off  their  shackles.  So  it  is  with 
all  early  impressions.  How  lamentable  then  is  it  to 
inculcate  prejudice  in  the  tender  mind  of  youth,  so 
as  to  make  them  imbibe  bigoted  sentiments  almost 
with  their  milk ;  enslaving  their  understanding  in 
such  a  manner,  that  it  can  scarcely  ever  become  free 
from  their  influence  !  I  venture  to  hope  that  this  ad- 
monition may  have  the  effect  of  making  parents  en- 
deavor to  prevent  their  children  from  being  led  astray 
by  such  hateful  impressions  in  early  hfe,  that  they 
may  be  brought  to  maturity  unbiased  by  any  preju- 
dice, and  thus  may  judge  of  things  impartially  of 
which  they  must   be  otherwise   utterly  incapable. 


44  INTRODUCTION. 

Parents  cannot  be  so  selfish  as  not  to  wish  their  chil- 
dren as  much  happiness  as  possible,  or  as  they  can 
at  all  procure  them,  and  to  this  it  materially  contrib- 
utes (and  it  is  a  duty  incumbent  on  all  who  have  the 
care  of  children)  to  prevent  false  impressions. 
Should  this  salutary  precept  be  carefully  attended 
to,  we  ma}^  hope  to  see  the  rising  generation  grow 
up  free  of  those  prejudices,  which  have,  unfortunate- 
ly for  Ireland,  produced  such  dreadful  consequences. 
What  a  melancholy  reflection  is  it,  that  any  person 
should  be  reared  and  educated  with  the  belief  that 
the  great  majority  of  his  countrymen  have  vowed  his 
destruction  !  Does  not  such  a  conception  naturally 
inculcate  all  kind  of  distrust,  blasting  all  confidence, 
and  destroying  the  happiness  that  would  result  from 
harboring  more  charitable  opinions  ?  Such  notions 
it  is  not  at  all  wonderful  to  find  strongly  rooted  in  vul- 
gar minds,  that  have  not  had  the  benefit  of  a  good 
education ;  but  it  is  truly  a  national  grievance,  that 
men  of  the  first  rank  and  rearing  should  be  brought 
up  with  such  horrid  and  absurd  prejudices.  I  have 
heard  some  of  the  most  dignified  and  exalted  per- 
sonages in  Ireland,  declare  that  great  pains  had  been 
taken,  in  the  course  of  their  education,  to  impress 
their  minds  with  an  inveterate  dislike  to  Roman 
Catholics ;  and  that  so  forcibly  dictated  were  these 
bigoted  precepts,  that  they  firmly  believed  them  to 
be  true,  and  that  it  was  not  without  great  exertion  of 
mind  they  were  afterwards  able  to  bring  themselves 
to  keep  company  with  people  of  that  communion. 
The  terrors,  however,  diminished  by  more  frequent 
intercourse  ;  and  in  proportion  as  this  was  cultivated, 
they  became  sensible  of  the  inculcated  error,  and  of 
the  absurdity  of  the  prejudice  against  their  country- 
men, and  at  length  became  the  greatest  supporters 
of  the  Catholic  cause.     As  for  myself,  although  I 


INTRODUCTION.  45 

now  profess  the  Roman  Catholic  rehgion,  I  should 
not  be  of  that  communion  one  single  hour,  were  the 
principles  such  as  they  are  represented  ;  but  Catho- 
lics, I  know,  abhor  and  detest  the  principles  that 
prejudice  has  thought  proper  to  attribute  to  them. 
Had  those  absurdities  any  other  than  a  speculative 
existence  in  the  minds  of  fanciful  and  designing  men, 
wishing  to  bring  public  sentiment  to  second  their 
views,  would  the  parliament  have  voted  a  free  exer- 
cise of  their  religion  ?  If  Catholics  did  not  reverence 
oaths,  what  could  keep  them  from  enjoying  the  hon- 
ors of  the  state,  since  an  oath  would  completely  qual- 
ify them  ?  Or,  if  they  were  as  represented,  would 
such  monsters  be  suffered  to  exist,  instead  of  being 
protected  and  cherished  by  king,  lords,  and  com- 
mons ?  I  will  only  observe  that  the  greatest  villains 
and  hypocrites  generally  assume  the  mask  of  religion, 
as  the  robber  does  that  of  honesty,  in  order  to  cover 
sinister  designs  ;  and  they  are  both,  for  private  ad- 
vantage, adepts  in  the  art  of  deception.  History 
furnishes  too  many  dreadful  examples  of  the  shock- 
ing effects  of  religious  bigotry ;  but  it  is  the  misap- 
plication of  religion,  and  not  its  essential  principles, 
that  urge  inordinate  fury.  Of  this  we  have  had  a 
striking  example  in  our  own  days.  The  riots  in 
London  in  1780,  when  the  mob  was  unquestionably 
composed  of  Protestants  and  dissenters,  forming  an 
immense  multitude,  were  excited  for  the  avowed  de- 
struction of  pope  and  popery.  It  was  impossible 
that  their  views  could  be  mistaken,  as  they  proceed- 
ed not  only  in  avowed  enmity  to  the  Catholics  them- 
selves, by  destroying  their  property,  by  burning  their 
houses  and  places  of  worship,  but  they  even  demol- 
ished the  houses  of  members  of  parliament,  who  had 
supported  a  bill  previously  passed  for  the  relief  of 
the  Catholics  of  England ;    and  although  the  same 


46  INTRODUCTION. 

spirit  was  manifested  at  Edinburgh,  Bath,  Bristol, 
and  other  parts  of  England,  yet  the  parliament  did 
not  seem  aware  of  the  object  of  the  rabble.  The 
last  riots  in  Birmingham  are  also  of  the  same  nature, 
and  tend  to  prove  that  religion  is  only  the  pretext 
generally  assumed  to  cover  the  greatest  enormities  ; 
but  it  is  not  at  all  to  be  inferred,  that  the  religion  of 
any  Christian  sect  inculcates  such  principles  as  their 
adherents  exhibit  by  their  actions,  otherwise  it  might 
be  said  with  equal  feasibility,  that  the  Christian  re- 
ligion encourages  sin,  because  Christians  commit 
sin ;  but  the  parable  of  the  good  Samaritan,  one 
would  think,  should  do  away  all  prejudice  between 
all  sorts  of  Christians.  Were  I  absurd  enough  to 
advance,  that  the  Protestant  religion  inculcated  the 
destruction  of  Catholics,  and  that  it  could  be  clearly 
demonstrated  from  many  examples,  but  particularly 
could  be  adduced  from  the  acts  and  avowals  of  tlie 
people  of  the  capital  of  the  Church  of  England,  as 
before  stated,  I  think  I  should  be  more  justifiable 
than  those  who  venture  to  assert,  (what  is  very  as- 
tonishing that  many  are  led  to  believe,)  that  Catho- 
lics are  vowed  for  the  destruction  of  Protestants.  In 
the  transactions  even  of  the  year  1798,  in  the  county 
of  Wexford,  such  a  principle  was  not  maintained, 
but  the  contrary  manifested  by  every  public  avowal ; 
but  in  different  parts  of  England  and  Scotland,  and 
in  Ireland  itself,  in  the  county  of  Armagh,  in  the 
year  1795,  dreadful  sentiments  appeared  against 
Catholics.  There  are  truly  individual  monsters  of 
all  parties,  who  would  destroy  every  one  not  of  their 
own  way  of  thinking,  were  they  not  restrained  in 
their  evil  inclinations  by  fear  or  force  ;  and  their 
principles  are  unfortunately  too  widely  diffused,  and 
encouraged  by  those,  who  without  actually  commit- 
ting murder  themselves,  frequently  occasion  its  com- 


INTRODUCTION.  47 

mittal  by  subtle  assertion  and  implication  of  princi- 
ples too  dreadful  to  be  admitted  among  Christians  ! 

I  shall  not  by  any  means  pretend  to  excuse  any 
bad  action,  let  it  originate  from  what  cause  it  may  ; 
and  although  I  maintain  that  the  Catholic  religion  in- 
culcates the  principles  of  charity  and  general  morali- 
ty as  much  as  any  other  on  earth,  I  shall  condemn 
the  bad  actions  of  Catholics  as  much,  if  not  more, 
than  those  of  any  other  religious  persuasion.  My 
whole  object  in  giving  this  account  to  the  pubhc  is 
to  promote  union  and  harmony,  as  much  as  it  lies  in 
my  power,  among  all  descriptions  of  my  country- 
men ;  and  if  I  knew  of  any  other  and  better  mode  to 
effect  this  desirable  object,  I  certainly  would  adopt 
it.  But  I  conceive  it  mainly  necessary  to  give  an 
account  of  what  I  think  I  am  master  of  now,  and  for 
this  reason  it  is  that  I  confine  myself  for  the  present 
to  the  county  of  Wexford,  where,  quite  contrary  to 
my  inclinations  and  wishes,  I  was  so  critically  placed 
as  to  be  an  eye-witness  of  what  passed  ;  but  this  en- 
ables me  now  to  be  the  better  judge  of  hearsay  evi- 
dence, let  it  come  from  what  quarter  it  may ;  and  1 
hope  my  execution  of  this  sketch  will  procure  such 
satisfactory  intelligence  as  will  enable  me  to  give  a 
general  history  of  Ireland,  with  the  causes  leading  to 
elucidate  the  events  of  that  unfortunate  period  of  1798. 
To  accomplish  this,  I  call  on  my  countrymen  in  gen- 
eral for  assistance  ;  and  although  it  would  be  impos- 
sible for  me  to  relate  every  transaction  that  happened, 
it  will,  however,  be  necessary  that  I  shall  be  in  pos- 
session of  many  occurrences  that  may  tend  to  prove 
the  leading  features  of  a  general  account  ;  for  par- 
ticular instances,  though  not  recited,  will  hold  their 
place  essentially  upon  a  general  principle.  I  trust 
this  will  prove  a  sufficient  apology  to  those  who  have 
favored  me  with  documents,  which  the  limits  of  my 


48  INTRODUCTION. 

present  work  would  not  permit  me  to  give  at  full 
length  ;  however,  their  advantage  and  use  in  the 
compilation  have  been  very  great ;  so  that  what 
might,  at  first  view,  appear  a  trivial  circumstance,  I 
shall  be  glad  to  have  an  opportunity  of  perusing.  I 
also  hope  that  the  precaution  I  have  already  recom- 
mended may  be  used  ;  of  sending  it  to  a  friend  in 
Dublin,  who  may  be  good  enough  to  apply  to  my 
printer,  where  my  address  ma}^  be  known,  and  for- 
warded to  me  without  any  disappointment,  where,  on 
delivery,  he  may  get  it  inserted  in  a  book,  which  is 
to  be  kept  for  that  purpose,  with  his  address,  as  w^ell 
as  that  of  the  writer,  in  order,  that  if  any  further  ex- 
planation should  be  required,  I  may  not  be  at  a  loss 
where  to  apply.  All  this  precaution  is  easy  to  be 
taken  by  such  as  may  be  kind  enough  to  transmit 
matter  of  information ;  and  what  would  be  little 
trouble  to  each  individual,  would  save  me  immense 
labor  in  detail.  I  hope,  therefore,  I  sliall  be  excused 
for  being  so  particular,  as  I  wish  to  lose  as  little  time 
as  possible  in  contributing  my  mite  for  general  infor- 
mation. 

Had  I  not  the  conciliation  of  all  my  countrymen 
very  much  at  heart,  I  should  not  venture  on  the  ar- 
duous undertaking  of  giving  a  history  of  the  present 
times.  The  various  and  contradictory  materials  pro- 
duced by  contending  parties,  have  existed  to  that  de- 
gree, that  the  same  occurrence  is  represented,  as 
prejudice  and  interest  operate,  in  as  opposite  views 
as  light  and  darkness.  I  cannot  hope  to  please  par- 
tisans of  any  description,  nor  shall  I  attempt  it.  The 
cool  and  dispassionate  ])hiIanthropist  I  flatter  myself 
will  approve  of  my  intentions,  and  lend  his  assistance 
in  endeavoring  to  dissipate  the  cloud  of  prejudice 
that  has  overpowered  the  good  sense  of  many  of 
my  countrymen ;    and  through    those    sentiments  I 


INTRODUCTION.  49 

may  obtain  the  indulgence  of  the  pubHc,  which  I 
stand  so  much  in  need  of. 

Now  that  peace  is  estabhshed  with  all  foreign 
powers,  it  behooves  every  well-disposed  person  to 
cultivate  its  blessings  at  home  ;  I  therefore  hope  this 
will  induce  many  to  step  forward  to  promote  my 
present  undertaking.  As  for  my  own  part,  I  confess, 
I  considered  it  prudent  not  to  lay  my  account  before 
the  public,  until  I  was  secure  from  the  malevolence 
of  those  from  whom  I  had  good  reason  to  apprehend 
danger  ;  as  my  persecution  might  be  renewed  if  I 
ventured  to  arraign  the  supposed  justice  and  merits 
of  my  persecutors,  before  I  could  be  certain  of  not 
being  sacrificed  to  party-spirit :  which,  I  presume,  I 
have  sufficiently  shown  to  have  been  violently  and 
unwarrantably  exerted  against  me  ;  and  if  the  ac- 
count of  it  shall  in  any  wise  contribute  to  promote 
the  union  and  consequent  happiness  of  my  country- 
men, I  shall  endeavor  to  forget  my  sufferings  in 
the  blessings  which  such  an  event  must  ensure  to 
Ireland. 

5 


IRISH  REBELLION.  51 


THE  IRISH  REBELLION 


Before  entering  on  the  narrative  of  the  late  insur- 
rection in  the  county  of  Wexford — the  causes  that 
produced  it,  and  its  calamitous  consequences — I 
think  it  necessary  to  give  a  general  sketch  of  its  geog- 
raphy and  local  circumstances,  together  vi^ilh  a  short 
topographical  outline  of  its  boundaries,  principal 
rivers,  harbors,  and  remarkable  places,  to  render  ref- 
erences more  easy  and  obvious  ;  adding  the  esti- 
mate of  its  computed  population  in  1788,  stated  by 
Mr.  Bushe,  in  the  transactions  of  the  Royal  Irish 
Academy,  and  published  in  1790. 

The  county  of  Wexford  is  a  maritime  tract  on  the 
southeastern  coast  of  Ireland,  taking  the  utmost  lim- 
its within  the  fifty-third  degree  of  north  latitude,  and 
between  the  sixth  and  seventh  of  longitude  west  from 
London;  beingabout  thirty-nine  miles  long,  from  north 
to  south,  and  twenty-four  broad,  from  west  to  east; 
bounded  on  the  north  mostly  by  the  county  of  Wick- 
low,  and  in  a  very  small  part  (towards  the  west)  by 
the  county  of  Carlow;  on  the  east  and  south,  by  that 
part  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean  denominated  the  Irish  Sea, 
or  St.  George's  Channel;  and  on  the  west,  from  north 
to  south,  partly  by  the  county  of  Carlow,  and  partly 
by  the  Barrow,  a  fine  navigable  river,  deemed  second 
only  to  the  Shannon  in  Ireland,  which  divides  it  from 


52  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  counties  of  Kilkenny  and  Waterford.  In  a  direc 
tion  from  southwest  to  northeast,  the  boundaries  of 
the  county  of  Wexford,  between  it  and  the  county  of 
Carlow,  are  the  long  ridges  of  mountains  called 
Black  Stairs  and  Mount  Leinster,  which  are  divided 
by  the  defile  of  Scollagh-gap,  the  only  high  road  into 
it  from  the  Barrow  to  the  Slaney,  at  Newtownbarry, 
which,  together  with  Clonegal  two  miles  farther  up, 
is  situated  partly  in  the  county  of  Carlow,  and  partly 
in  the  county  of  Wexford ;  but,  southward  of  the 
county  of  Wicklow,  a  chain  of  lofty  mountains,  open- 
ing with  different  defiles,  rivers,  and  high  hills,  form 
a  strong  natural  barrier  to  the  county  of  Wexford, 
which,  thus  physically  fortified  by  sea  and  land,  ap- 
pears naturally  formed  into  a  district,  which  it  has 
certainly  been  by  all  ancient  divisions  of  the  country, 
whether  ecclesiastical,  civil,  or  military.  The  bish- 
opric of  Ferns,  one  of  the  oldest  in  Ireland,  founded 
in  the  latter  end  of  the  sixth  century,  is  nearly  co- 
extensive with  the  county,  only  a  small  strip  of  land 
about  Carnew,  in  the  county  of  Wicklow,  forming  a 
part  of  the  diocese  of  Ferns,  while  the  see  of  Glenda- 
lough  includes  two  parishes  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Coolgreny,  in  the  county  of  Wexford.  The  English 
adventurers  having  first  landed  here  under  Fitzsle- 
phen,  in  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Second  of  England, 
to  assist  in  the  restoration  of  M'Morragh,  king  of 
Leinster,  it  became  the  strongest  military  station  of 
the  invaders,  while  they  were  endeavoring  to  estab- 
lish themselves  in  the  country,  and  was  one  of  the 
first  demarked  counties  of  the  English  pale. 

Wexford — sixty-four  miles  distant  from  Dublin, 
called  by  the  old  natives  Loch-Garmain,  by  the 
Danish  invaders  Wetfsford,  and  after  them  by  the 
English,  Wexford — is  the  capital,  or  shire  and  assizes 
town  of  the  county,  situated  in  a  hollow  beneath  a 


IRISH  REBELLION.  53 

rising  hill,  with  a  southern  aspect,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  beautiful  river  Slaney,  which  rises  in  the  county 
ot  Wicklow,  and  takes  a  southern  direction,  with  little 
variation  from  Newtownbarry,  until  it  passes  some 
miles  below  Enniscorthy,  then  shapes  its  course  from 
west  to  east,  and  empties  itself  by  the  harbor  of 
Wexford,  into  the  Irish  Sea,  or  St.  George's  Chan- 
nel. This  harbor  is  formed  by  two  narrow  necks  of 
land,  bending  towards  each  other  like  two  arms  clo- 
sing after  an  extension  from  the  body,  which  appear- 
ance the  river's  mouth  assumes  by  its  banks,  not 
very  unlike  the  old  Piraeus  of  Athens.  The  extremi- 
ties of  these  peninsulas,  denominated  the  Raven  on 
the  north,  and  Roslare  on  the  south,  form  the  en- 
trance into  the  harbor,  which  is  about  half  a  mile 
broad,  defended  by  a  fort  erected  at  the  point  of 
Roslare.  The  harbor  itself,  in  superficial  appear- 
ance, and  from  the  view  of  a  delightfully  expanded 
sheet  of  water,  m.ust  be  considered  extremely  beau- 
tiful ;  but  unfortunately,  it  is  so  shallow,  that  vessels 
drawing  more  than  eleven  feet  of  water  cannot  enter 
it,  being  impeded  by  a  bar  which  is  continually  shift- 
ing. The  harbor,  however,  is  certainly  capable  of 
vast  improvement ;  and,  from  its  situation,  attention 
to  this  object  must  prove  of  great  national  import- 
ance. Wexford  was  formerly  possessed  of  some 
general  traffic,  but  now  it  is  nearly  limited  to  the  corn 
trade ;  and  the  manufacture  of  malt  is  so  consider- 
able, that  this  district  was  some  years  ago  computed 
to  produce  one-fourth  of  the  revenue  raised  on  that 
article  in  Ireland.  The  town  is  surrounded  by  its 
ancient  wall,  still  perfect,  except  at  the  public  en- 
trances, which  have  been  broken  down  for  pubhc 
convenience.  The  ruins  of  churches  and  abbeys  are 
to  be  seen,  which,  even  in  neglect  and  decay,  exhibit 
marks  of  ancient  magnificence ;  and  the  Protestaiit 
6* 


54  HISTORY  OF  THE 

church,  Roman  Catholic  chapel,  market-house,  and 
barracks,  buildings  which  are  not  inferior  to  those  of 
othpr  places,  of  equal,  or  perhaps  superior  import- 
ance. The  general  appearance  of  the  town  is,  how- 
ever, very  indifferent,  the  streets  being  very  narrow, 
and  having  but  few  good  houses  ;  yet  it  is  in  a  state 
of  improvement,  and  when  the  quay  shall  be  filled  in 
and  well  banked,  an  operation  now  in  progress,  it 
will,  in  all  likehhood,  induce  people  to  pay  more  at- 
tention to  the  art  of  building,  as  the  situation  is  invi- 
ting. The  remarkable  wooden  bridge  built  in  1795, 
over  the  mouth  of  the  Sianey,  leading  northward  from 
the  town,  is  undoubtedly  a  very  great  curiosity,  being 
fifteen  hundred  and  fifty-nine  feet  long,  with  a  porlcul- 
hs,  and  thirty-four  feet  wide  through  its  whole  extent, 
with  a  toll-house  at  each  extremity.  On  each  side 
are  foot-ways,  ornamented  with  Chinese  railings  sup- 
ported by  strong  bars.  There  are  also  two  recesses, 
with  seats  for  shelter  against  sudden  showers  ;  for  it 
is  the  beau  walk  of  the  town,  and  thus  contributes 
much  to  the  tolls  collected  to  defray  the  expense  of 
the  building.  About  two  miles  up  the  river,  there  is 
also  another  wooden  bridge  with  a  portcullis,  at  a 
place  called  Carrig,  where  the  first  square  castle 
built  in  Ireland  was  reared  by  Fitzstephen  after  the 
landing  of  Strongbow.  Many  other  castles  are  to  be 
seen  throughout  the  county,  particularly  in  the  baron- 
ies of  Forth  and  Bargy.  There  do  not  at  present  ex- 
ist any  traces  of  round  towers  ;  but  there  are  innu- 
merable Danish  forts  and  raths.  Wexford  returns 
one  member  to  the  imperial  parliament. 

Tagiimon  is  on  the  road  from  Wexford  to  Ross, 
at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  of  Forth.  It  lies  inland, 
has  a  market,  fairs,  and  a  post-ofiice,  also  the  re- 
mains of  an  old  castle,  and  is  surrounded  by  good 
lands. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  55 

New  Ross,  sixt3"-seven  miles  from  Dublin,  and 
nineteen  west  of  Wexford,  is  situated  on  the  Barrow, 
and  well  stationed  for  trade,  in  which  it  is  rapidly 
improving,  as  well  as  in  the  appearance  of  the  town 
itself,  which  has  been  greatly  retarded  from  the  want 
of  proper  encouragement.  It  is  built  on  the  side  of 
a  hill,  commanding  a  beautiful  view  of  the  river,  and 
part  of  the  county  of  Kilkenny,  the  passage  to  which 
over  it,  is  by  a  fine  wooden  bridge,  from  the  upper 
part  of  the  quay,  with  a  portculhs,  foot-ways,  Chi- 
nese railings,  and  recesses  in  the  centre,  flere  are 
the  ruins  of  abbeys  and  some  churches  ;  part  of  one 
of  the  latter  now  forms  the  Protestant  church.  The 
old  town  walls  were  standing  until  lately,  and  their 
partial  destruction  was  much  regretted  on  the  attack 
of  the  insurgents  in  June,  1798.  It  returns  a  mem- 
ber to  parliament. 

Enniscorthy  lies  fifty-eight  miles  from  Dublin,  fif- 
teen from  Ross,  eleven  from  Wexford  by  land,  and 
fourteen  by  the  windings  of  the  Slaney,  which  waters 
it,  and  whose  banks  are  unrivalled  in  beauty  ;  but  it 
is  to  be  lamented  that  its  navigation  has  not  been  at- 
tended to,  as  at  a  small  expense  it  could  be  so  im- 
proved as  to  render  Enniscorthy  a  very  flourishing 
town,  which  also  feels  the  disadvantage  of  not  pos- 
sessing the  fostering  care  of  a  resident  landlord.  It 
would  be  a  most  excellent  situation  for  carrying  on 
any  kind  of  manufacture.  When  woods  were  in 
greater  abundance  in  Ireland,  it  was  remarkable  for 
its  iron-works,  some  of  which  are  still  existing  near 
it ;  there  now  remain  the  extensive  woods  of  Kilaugh- 
ram  in  its  neighborhood.  The  town  now  exhibits 
a  melancholy  picture  of  the  devastation  consequent 
on  civil  war,  being  mostly  destroyed  during  the  in- 
surrection in  1798,  which,  among  other  effects,  has 
occasioned  its  not  being,  what  it  otherwise  would 


56  HISTORY  OF  THE 

have  been,  one  of  the  representative  towns  of  Ireland. 
A  fine  old  castle  is  still  in  tolerable  repair,  and  the 
town  is  rebuilding  very  fast. 

Gorey,  or  Newborough,  is  forty-two  miles  from 
Dublin,  nine  from  Arklow,  twenty-two  miles  north  of 
Wexford,  and  fifteen  from  Enniscorthy.  It  lies  in- 
land, has  little  or  no  trade  but  what  arises  from  fairs 
and  markets,  and  is  a  post-town. 

Ferns  lies  six  miles  from  Enniscorthy,  and  nine 
from  Gorey ;  is  a  bishop's  see,  since  the  Reforma- 
tion united  to  Leighlin  in  the  Protestant,  but  never 
annexed  in  the  Catholic  church.  It  was  founded  by 
St.  Maod'og,  (pronounced  by  the  inhabitants,  and 
written  at  this  day,  St.  Mogue,)  in  reverence  of  whom 
the  primacy  of  Leinster  was  transferred  to  it  from 
Kildare,  towards  the  latter  end  of  the  sixth  century. 
Part  of  the  very  large  old  church,  now  grand  even  in 
ruin,  dedicated  to  him  as  first  bishop,  constitutes  the 
present  cathedral.  His  sepulchre  is  even  still  pre- 
served and  in  good  repair,  in  part  of  the  parent 
church,  having  been  rescued  from  obscurity  by  one 
of  the  late  bishops.  The  episcopal  palace  is  con- 
tiguous to  the  town,  and  is  its  principal  ornament. 
Here  also  stand  the  ruins  of  an  abbey,  and  of  the 
memorable  castle  of  Dermod  M'Morragh,  king  of 
Leinster,  whither,  as  his  principal  residence,  he  re- 
tired with  the  beauteous  and  fatal  Dervorgal,  daughter 
of  O'Malfechlin,  king  of  Meath,  and  wife  of  O'Rorke, 
prince  of  Breifny,  now  denominated  the  county  of 
Leitrim,  from  whom,  by  every  wily  contrivance,  he  is 
said  to  have  seduced  and  persuaded  her  to  elope  with 
him,  which  evenlually  produced  one  of  the  most  mo- 
mentous epochs,  as  marked  with  one  of  the  greatest 
and  most  serious  revolutions  that  occurs  in  the  history 
of  Ireland,  producing  a  complete  and  total  change  in 
its  laws,  customs,  government,  and  proprietors  ;  and, 


IRISH  REBELLION.  67 

in  a  great  extent,  even  in  its  population  ;  and,  finally, 
in  our  own  days,  in  its  imperial  dominion  and  inde- 
pendence. This  libertine  and  licentious  deed  intro- 
duced the  adventuring  Anglo-Norman  chiefs,  at  the 
head  of  the  Welsh  or  British  and  English  invaders  ; 
who,  by  long  and  persevering  efforts,  established  a 
transcendent  ascendency  in  Ireland.  For  Dermod, 
odious  as  notorious  for  other  acts  of  tyranny  and  vio- 
lence, attracted,  by  this  flagitious  crime,  the  aggra- 
vated execration  and  resentment  of  Roderic  O'Con- 
nor, the  reigning  monarch,  as  well  as  of  all  the  other 
chiefs  and  princes  of  the-land;  who,  making  common 
cause  against  the  execrable  outrage,  forced  him  out 
of  the  island,  whither  he  ere  long  returned,  intro 
ducing  those  invaders  (from  one  of  whom  I  am  myself 
descended)  who  ultimately  succeeded  in  its  utter  re- 
duction. Hence  it  cannot  be  fantastical  to  deem,  in 
similitude,  Dermod  the  Paris,  Dervorgal  the  Helen, 
Ferns  the  Troy,  and  the  Anglo-Norman  and  Welsh 
adventurers,  the  Greeks  of  Ireland  ;  and,  were  there 
another  Homer  in  existence,  he  might  rejoice  in  hav- 
ing a  second  equivalent  subject  to  display  anew  his 
powers.  At  all  events,  the  Irish  have  to  exclaim  in 
sympathy  with  the  Trojans  in  Virgil,  from  a  similari- 
ty of  circumstances — 

" fuimus  Troes,  fuit  Ilium  et  ingens 

Gloria  Teucrorum        ■■" 

"  For  there  were  Irish — they  possessed  dominion 
— they  were  greatly  renowned — but  they  are  now  no 
more  !" 

The  English,  when  established  in  the  baronies  of 
Forth  and  Bargy,  willing  to  extend  their  dominion 
over  the  whole  county  of  Wexford,  encountered  very 
vigorous  resistance.  Forced  by  various  oppressions,  the 
natives  rose  under  a  youthful  hero  of  the  ancient  royal 


58  HISTORY  OF  THE 

blood,  Arthur  M'Murchad  O'Cavanagh.  who  defeated 
them  in  several  rencounters,  and  brought  the  pale  to 
the  verge  of  destruction.  On  this  occasion,  Richard 
II.  of  England  hastened  to  its  assistance  with  forty- 
thousand  men,  but,  foiled  and  defeated  by  the  Lein- 
ster  chieftain,  he  was  glad  to  purcliase  present  safely 
by  a  dishonorable  peace  ;  and,  perhaps,  this  expedi- 
tion was  the  cause  of  his  losing  both  life  and  crown. 
The  chiefs  of  the  pale,  after  repeated  and  fruitless 
contests,  in  which  the  best  Enghsh  generals  were 
defeated,  thought  themselves  happy  in  obtaining  tol- 
eration to  remain  in  Ireland,  on  condition  of  paying  a 
yearly  tribute  to  the  chieftain  of  Leinsler.  This  lax 
is  well  known  under  the  name  of  Black  Rent,  which 
continued  to  be  paid  until  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII, 
In  fine,  the  inhabitants  of  that  quarter  of  Ireland,  in- 
cluding Wexford,  were  always  remarkable  for  their 
bravery ;  and,  in  latter  times,  the  Wexfordians  had 
the  firniness  and  courage  to  resist  Cromwell,  after 
the  rest  of  the  island  was  intimidated,  partly  by  the 
fame  and  partly  by  the  experience  of  his  cruellies 
and  victories. 

Were  it  not  for  these  circumstances,  Ferns  would 
at  present  excite  little  consideration,  being  otherwise 
mean  and  of  little  importance. 

Bunclody,  now  Newtownbarry,  is  situated  partly 
in  the  county  of  Wexford,  and  partly  in  the  county 
of  Carlow,  forty-nine  miles  from  Dublin,  and  ten 
north  of  Enniscorthy  on  the  Slaney,  where  the 
situation  is  admirably  beautiful ;  and  ahhough  New- 
townbarry cannot  assume  the  name  of  a  town,  in  its 
strictest  sense,  it  is  incomparable  as  a  village.  Its 
importance  in  a  military  point  of  view,  pronounces  it 
one  of  the  principal  keys  of  the  county  of  Wexford. 

Feathard,  Bannow,  and  Clomines,  were  boroughs, 
but  long  since  have  fallen  into  decay  ;  the  silver  and 


IRISH  REBELLION.  69 

lead  mines  in  their  neighborhood,  when  worked,  made 
them  of  some  consequence. 

The  high  and  extensive  mountains  of  Black  Stairs 
and  Mount  Leinster,  already  mentioned,  separate  the 
county  of  Carlow  from  the  county  of  Wexford ;  as 
Croghan  Mountain,  w^ith  others  of  inferior  note,  divide 
the  latter  from  the  county  of  Wicklow.  Within  the 
county  itself  are  the  mountains  of  Forth,  between 
Wexford  and  Taghmon  ;  as  are  Camarus,  Carrig- 
byrne,  Slieykeltra,  and  Brie,  between  Ross,  Tagh- 
mon, and  Enniscorthy  ;  Slieye-buy,  which  rises  coni- 
cally,  and  Carrigrew,  near  Ferns,  and  Tara  Hill, 
north  of  Gorey ;  intermixed  with  several  small  hills 
and  eminences,  forming  an  undulative  appearance,  in 
such  a  manner  that  no  part  of  the  county  can  be 
termed  level,  except  the  baronies  of  Forth  and  Barg^'', 
south  of  the  town  of  Wexford.  On  the  southern  coast 
are  two  bays,  of  little  note  but  for  their  superficial 
appearance — those  of  Ballytiegue  and  Bannow,  into 
the  latter  of  which  runs  the  river  of  that  name,  which 
is  passable  at  the  point  called  the  Scar,  at  low  water. 
The  Saltee  Islands,  round  which  there  is  a  consider- 
able lobster  and  crab  fishery,  and  which  in  the  times 
of  falconry  were  famous  for  producing  the  most  ex- 
cellent hawks,  lie  nine  miles  off  the  coast,  opposite 
the  Bay  of  Ballytiegue.  Duncannon  Fort  is  a  mili- 
tary station  on  the  shore,  commanding  the  entrance 
of  the  Barrow,  of  which  and  the  Slaney  there  is  suf- 
ficient mention  and  observation  made  already  ;  and 
surely  of  "  Bannow^s  banks''''  we  have  heard  enough. 
On  the  Barrow  are  three  ferries,  between  the  county 
of  Wexford  and  those  of  Kilkenny  and  Waterford : 
the  two  first  are,  one  at  Mountgarret,  above  Ross, 
and  another  at  Ballinlaw,  below  Ross,  into  the  county 
of  Kilkenny ;  the  third  is  below  the  confluence  of 
the  Suir  and  Barrow,  between  the  trifling  villages  of 


60     -  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Ballyhack,  in  the  county  of  Wexford,  and  Passage, 
in  the  county  of  Waterford.  The  Bann  rises  in  the 
county  of  Wicklow,  passes  by  Ferns,  and  joins  the 
Slaney  above  Enniscorthy. 

Lough  Tra,  or  the  Lake  of  the  Ladies'  Island,  is 
very  singularly  circumstanced  ;  it  receives  into  its 
bosom  two  or  three  small  rivulets,  whose  currents, 
however,  are  not  strong  enough  to  force  a  passage  in 
opposition  to  a  powerful  tide  rushing  directly  against 
them,  and  continually  drifting  quicksand,  which  ac- 
cumulates so  as  to  form  the  southern  bank  of  the 
lake.  This  every  three  or  four  years  occasions  an 
inundation  of  the  adjacent  countr}^  obliging  the  peo- 
ple with  vast  labor  to  open  a  way  through  the  mound 
for  the  collected  waters  to  disembogue  ;  but  this  is 
soon  choked  up  again  by  the  like  agglomeration  as 
before.  The  lake  of  Tacumshin  is  nearly  adjoining, 
but  the  currents  with  which  it  is  supplied  not  being 
so  abundant  as  the  former,  the  task  of  letting  out  the 
waters  does  not  occur  for  many  years  together. 

The  ruins  of  several  abbeys  appear  throughout 
the  county  ;  but  those  that  preserve  the  greatest  re- 
mains of  magnificence  are,  Dunbrody,  Tintern,  and 
one  in  Wexford,  founded  by  the  Earl  of  Pembroke, 
Filzstephen,  and  De  ^loresco.  From  this  stock  the 
family  of  Morres,  in  Ireland,  claims  descent.  In 
Wexford  there  were  two  other  abbeys  also.  The 
rest  we  take  in  the  order  of  precedence,  from  the 
best  authorities.  Clomines  ;  Dune,  on  the  little 
river  Derry  ;  the  abbey  of  St.  Mary's,  in  Ferns  ;  St. 
Mary's  of  Glass-carrig,  or  Green  Rock,  on  the  sea- 
coast  ;  Hore-town,  near  Fookes's-mill ;  one  at  En- 
niscorthy, and  another  at  the  village  of  St.  John's, 
not  far  distant  from  that  town ;  Kilclogan,  on  the 
Barrow,  below  Dunbrody  ;  and  two  at  Ross,  of 
Minorets  and  Augustins. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  61 

The  county  of  Wexford  contains  eight  baronies, 
namely,  Gorey,  Scarawalsh,  Ballaghkeen,  Bantry, 
Shelmaliere,  Slielbiirne,  Barg}^  and  Forth,  in  which 
are  one  hundred  and  forty-two  parishes  ;  and  the 
acreable  extent  of  the  whole  is  computed  to  be  three 
hundred  and  forty-two  thousand  nine  hundred,  or 
five  hundred  and  thirty-five  square  miles.  Its  pop- 
ulation, according  to  Mr.  Bushe's  estimate,  taking 
the  houses  to  be  tw^enty  thousand  four  hundred  and 
forty-eight,  is  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  thousand 
nine  hundred  and  twelve  inhabitants.  The  town  of 
Wexford  itself  contains  one  thousand  four  hundred 
and  twelve  houses,  and  upwards  of  nine  thousand 
souls  ;  but  I  apprehend  the  population  is  underrated 
by  Mr,  Bushe,  as  I  hope  to  be  enabled  to  shov/  at  a 
future  period. 

The  county  of  Wexford  has  been  long  remarkable 
for  the  peaceable  demeanor  of  its  inhabitants ;  and 
their  good  behavior  and  industry  have  been  held  out 
as  exemplary  for  other  parts  of  Ireland  :  so  little  and 
so  seldom  infested  with  disturbance  or  riots  of  any 
kind,  that  an  execution  for  a  capital  crime  rarely 
took  place  there  ;  and  in  the  calendar  of  its  crim- 
inals, it  has  as  few  on  record  as  any  part  either  of 
Great  Britain  or  Ireland.  This  county  bore  such 
reputation,  that  landed  property  was  considered  of 
higher  value  in  it  than  in  man}^  other  parts  of  this 
country ;  purchasers  not  hesitating  to  advance  some 
years'  rental  more  for  lands  in  the  county  of  Wex- 
ford, than  for  the  like  in  most  other  parts  of  Ireland. 
Even  at  the  time  that  different  parts  of  the  nation 
were  disturbed  by  the  riots  of  Whiteboys,  &c.,  they 
scarcely  made  their  appearance  here,  owing  to  the 
vigilance  and  exertions  of  the  gentlemen  of  the 
county.  These  formed  an  armed  association  at  En- 
niscorlhy,  for  the  preservation  of  the  peace,  under 
6 


62  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  command  of  Sir  Vesey  Colclough ;  and  this  as- 
sociation afterwards  became  a  corps  of  volunteers, 
the  first  of  the  kind  in  the  land  ;  and  thus  can  the 
county  of  Wexford  boast  of  having  set  the  example, 
and  of  being  the  first  to  promote  the  illustrious  in- 
stitution of  the  volunteers  of  Ireland.  Having  set 
so  conspicuous  a  precedent,  the  volunteers  of  the 
county  of  Wexford,  by  their  printed  resolutions, 
fully  coincided  with  those  of  all  other  parts  of  the 
nation,  and,  in  the  spirit  of  the  times,  adopted  the 
memorable  resolutions  of  the  meeting  at  Dungannon, 
and  sent  their  deputation  to  the  grand  provincial 
meeting  of  Leinster,  assembled  at  the  guild-hall,  in 
the  tholsel  of  Dublin,  on  Thursday,  the  9th  of  Oc- 
tober, 1783,  and  afterwards  to  the  general  conven- 
tion of  the  volunteers  of  Ireland,  held  at  the  rotunda 
on  the  10th  of  November  following. 

The  liberality  of  the  times  invited  men  of  all  per- 
suasions to  the  volunteer  ranks.  Catholics  stood  by 
their  Protestant  fellow-soldiers  in  the  glorious  cause, 
and  proved  themselves  w^orthy  of  the  liberal  confi- 
dence that  dictated  their  admission,  which  the  exist- 
ing laws  did  not  strictly  sanction.  Amidst  this  gen- 
eral spirit  of  toleration,  however,  I  am  sorry  to 
remark  that  there  was  no  admission  for  a  Catholic 
among  the  volunteers  of  the  county  of  Wexford — a 
circumstance  the  more  remarkable,  as  it  was  the 
only  county  in  Ireland  that  exclusively  held  up  this 
prejudice.  There  were,  indeed,  some  Catholic  gen- 
tlemen of  the  covmty  of  Wexford  volunteers  ;  but 
they  belonged  to  corps  in  other  counties,  and  on  this 
account  their  number  was  but  inconsiderable,  as  few 
of  them  could  undergo  the  expense,  or  waste  the 
time  necessary  for  attending  meetings  out  of  their 
own  county ;  and  thus  the  great  body  were  pre- 
vented from  manifesting  their  sentiments  to  the  ex- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  63 

tent  of  their  wishes.  This  exclusion,  as  nnwise  as 
impolitic,  must  be  attributed  to  that  bane  of  society, 
the  odious  prejudice  of  religious  bigotry,  so  gener- 
ally inculcated  in  early  youth,  and  blended  with 
education ;  which  sad  experience  proves  to  have 
been  so  fatal  to  the  interest  of  Ireland, — the  per- 
petual bar  to  her  otherwise  infallible  prosperity.  If 
men  would  but  so  far  divest  themselves  of  prejudice, 
and  indulge  sentiments  of  Christian  charity,  as  not 
to  avoid  the  society  of  their  fellow-men  on  account 
of  a  difference  in  religious  opinion,  the  great  advan- 
tage would  be  soon  perceptible.  It  would  be  quickly 
found,  that  uncharitable  principles  could  not  be 
cherished  by  any  denomination  of  people  professing 
the  religion  of  peace  and  love  ;  the  delusion  would 
vanish,  and  the  unhallowed  monster  of  bigotr}'  and 
prejudice  would  soon  be  abhorred  and  abandoned. 
Every  man  of  serious  and  feeling  mind  must  think 
it  a  very  awful  misfortune  to  be  born  and  reared  in  a 
country  where  the  great  majority  of  the  people  is  an 
object  of  hatred  and  horror  to  most  of  the  superior 
order.  A  person  of  high  rank,  entertaining  unfavor- 
able sentiments  of  a  communit}^  must  prove  a  hor- 
rible scourge  to  a  nation.  The  balance  of  justice 
may  be  placed  in  his  hands,  while  his  prejudice  must 
inevitably  prevent  its  impartial  administration  ;  for  it 
is  the  nature  of  prejudice  to  warp  and  supersede  all 
other  affections,  so  far  even  as  to  pervert  the  fair 
dictates  of  moral  truth,  and  of  mild  and  generous 
humanity.  Alas  !  that  Ireland  should  verify  the  re- 
flection !  But  let  our  regret  avert  our  contempla- 
tion, and  direct  our  view  to  better  prospects. 

Since  the  time  of  volunteering,  till  of  late,  noth- 
ing very  remarkable  happened  in  the  county  of 
Wexford.  It  continued  to  flourish  from  the  memor- 
able period  of  1782  with  the  same  progressive  im- 


64  HISTORY  OF  THE 

provemeni  of  the  nation  at  large,  still  holding  up  its 
pre-eminence  in  the  value  of  landed  property.  The 
peasantry  were  certainly  more  comfortably  situated 
here  than  in  most  parts  of  Ireland,  south  of  Dublin, 
but  far  from  enjoying  the  happiness  experienced  by 
the  like  class  of  people  in  other  countries  ;  and  al- 
though their  condition  was  less  wretched  than  that 
of  the  greater  portion  of  their  countrymen,  yet  this 
amelioration  must  be  attributed  more  to  their  own 
industry',  than  to  any  encouragement  or  indulgence 
of  their  landlords.  Many  gentlemen,  becoming 
needy  by  dissipation  and  extravagance,  feel  indis- 
pensable necessity  to  support  accustomed  luxury  by 
wresting  occasional  supplies  from  the  hard  labor  of 
a  wretched  and  dependent  tenantry,  whose  calami- 
tous appearance  (enough  to  send  horror  to  the  soul 
of  humanity)  is  unnoticed  in  the  general  view  of 
misery  and  distress  which  Ireland  exhibits  as  a  sin- 
gular and  melancholy  spectacle  to  the  world.  Such 
are  the  men  who  detest  the  simple  hind  that  culti- 
vates their  lands,  and  who  calumniate  to  other  coun- 
tries the  subdued  and  crawling  peasant  of  their  own 
— whose  ears  are  to  be  gratified,  whose  hearts  are 
cheerfully  delighted  by  a  defamatory,  rancorous,  and 
indiscriminate  reviling  of  their  countrymen — calum- 
nies that,  if  directed  against  their  fellow-natives, 
would  excite  liorror  and  indignation  in  the  breasts 
of  the  gentry  of  any  other  country  in  Europe,  or 
perhaps  on  the  globe. 

In  Ireland,  a  good  and  kind  landlord  is  a  rare 
blessing ;  and  a  traveller,  in  his  passage  through  the 
country,  must  readily  distinguish  the  fostering  care 
and  benevolent  superintendence  of  such,  wherever 
to  be  found.  It  is  easy  to  gain  the  affections  of  the 
warm-hearted  Irish.  If  a  person  of  rank  deigns  but 
to  pay  them  those  attentions  which  are  accounted 


IRISH  REBELLION.  65 

but  common  care  of  the  lower  classes  in  other  coun- 
tries, he  is  universally  beloved,  and  on  his  approach 
delight  beams  on  the  countenance  of  the  neighbor- 
hood around  him  ;  so  that  it  is  much  to  be  won- 
dered at,  that  more  are  not  found  to  purchase,  at  so 
easy  a  rate,  the  love  and  attachment  of  a  generous 
and  ingenuous  people.  This,  however,  the  gener- 
ality of  landlords  forfeit  for  a  rack-rent  on  their 
lands  ;  and  not  unfrequenlly  even  some  who  may 
feel  a  better  disposition,  see  iheir  lands  occupied  by 
a  still  more  miserable  peasantry,  if  possible,  and  in- 
cur equal  disgrace  with  the  unrelenting,  by  parcel- 
ling out,  to  support  a  false  consequence,  their  estates 
in  freeholds,  to  middle-men — a  set  of  harpies  so 
hardened,  as  to  view  with  the  coldest  unconcern  the 
most  distressing  scenes  of  misery ;  who  hold  it 
meritorious  to  wrest  the  last  farthing  from  the  toil- 
some and  laborious  industry  of  starved  and  naked 
wretchedness.  This  evil  was  most  severely  felt  by 
the  Catholics,  who  could  not,  till  very  lately,  become 
freeholders  ;  and  the  grievance  arose  from  their  be- 
ing deprived  of  the  right  of  elective  franchise,  which 
constituted  the  lower  Protestants  middle-men.  By 
the  restoration  of  this  right,  however,  it  is  to  be 
hoped  that,  by  degrees,  as  leases  shall  fall  in  to  the 
landlords,  tliey  will  be  induced,  even  by  self-interest, 
to  multipl}^  their  freeholders,  by  setting  their  lands 
to  the  occupiers  of  the  soil ;  and  tliis  will  prevent 
the  intercourse  of  landlord  and  tenant  from  being 
intercepted  by  the  hated  interference  of  the  odious 
tribe  of  middle-men,  and  restore  some  degree  of 
comfort  and  happiness  to  the  people  at  large. 

Some  years  ago,  the  proprietors  of  land  in  the 

baronies  of  Forth  and  Bargy  determined  themselves 

to  farm  the  soil  occupied  by  their  tenants,  who  were 

on  this  account  obliged  to  seek  out  new  situations  iu 

6* 


66  HISTORY   OF  THE 

Other  parts  of  the  county  of  Wexford.  Their  ap- 
proved mode  of  tillage  was  soon  adopted  in  the  sev- 
eral neighborhoods  where  they  settled,  and  through 
ihem  a  new  spirit  of  industry  was  generally  diffused, 
and  the  face  of  the  country  assumed  an  appearance 
of  much  superior  advantage  to  its  former  slate.  For 
although  the  county  of  Wexford  produces  vast  quan- 
tities of  grain,  particularly  barley,  it  is  obtained 
more  through  the  industry  of  the  cultivators,  than 
from  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  whose  barrenness  is 
overcome  by  the  labor  and  exertions  of  the  inhab- 
itants. The  baronies  of  Forth  and  Bargy  are  occu- 
pied by  the  descendants  of  an  English  colony,  who 
came  over  with  Strongbow,  in  the  reign  of  Henry 
II.  They  have  ever  since,  in  the  course  of  upwards 
of  six  hundred  years,  lived  entirely,  with  liltle  or  no 
admixture,  within  themselves.  Until  of  late  years 
it  was  a  rare  thing  to  find  a  man  among  them  that 
had  ever  gone  farther  from  home  than  Wexford. 
They  have  even  preserved  their  language,  probably 
without  alteration  or  improvement,  as  may  be  pre- 
sumed, if  not  absolutely  concluded  from  this  fact — 
that  although  there  was  no  regular  intercourse  kept 
up  between  these  and  a  sister  colony  from  Whales, 
•who  at  the  same  time  settled  at  Fingal,  in  the  county 
of  Dublin,  and  have  continued  of  similar  unmixed 
habits,  yet  upon  the  accidental  meeting  of  indi- 
viduals from  both  places,  they  can  completely  un- 
derstand each  other. 

Early  in  the  year  1792,  the  Catholics  of  Ireland 
were  invited  by  a  circular  letter,  inserted  in  the 
public  papers,  signed  Edward  Byrne,  to  depute  from 
all  the  counties  and  principal  towns,  delegates,  to 
meet  in  Dublin,  to  frame  a  petition  to  the  king  for  a 
redress  of  the  grievances  under  which  they  labored. 
The  Catholics  of  the  county  of  Wexford  elected 


IRISH  REBELLION.  67 

delegates,  according  to  the  plan  proposed,  the  July 
following,  and  the  whole  kingdom,  at  the  same  time, 
made  like  returns.  Resolutions  of  many  grand 
juries  and  corporations  were  published  soon  after, 
reprobating  this  circular  letter.  Counties  w^ere  as- 
sembled for  the  purpose  of  joining  in  the  outcry. 
The  county  of  Wexford  was  convened  on  the  22d 
of  September,  by  Mr.  Derenzy,  the  high  sheriff,  to 
take  into  consideration  this  circular  letter  of  the  gen- 
eral committee  of  the  Catholics  of  Ireland,  signed 
Edward  Byrne.  The  court  was  opened  at  one 
o'clock,  when  Mr.  Maxwell  was  about  to  produce 
resolutions,  but  the  Hon.  Francis  Hutchinson  having 
first  risen,  and  being  in  possession  of  the  chair,  after 
a  manly  and  eloquent  speech  of  some  length,  pro- 
posed resolutions  declaratory  of  the  rights  of  the 
subject.  The  first  resolution,  which  asserted  the 
right  to  petition  the  throne,  or  either  house  of  parlia- 
ment, though  for  some  time  attempted  to  be  got  rid 
of  by  Mr.  C.  Dawson,  and  an  objection  upon  a  point 
of  order,  w^as  at  length  unanimously  adopted ;  but 
the  other  resolutions  proposed  by  Mr.  Hutchinson, 
though  equally  constitutional  and  self-evident,  w^ere 
rejected  by  the  party  who  avowxdly  came  to  oppose 
every  measure  which  might  either  tend  to  gratify  the 
feelings,  or  administer  a  hope  of  obtaining  justice  to 
the  Roman  Catholics.  Mr.  Hutchinson,  however, 
most  ably  supported  his  motion,  and  was  powerfully 
assisted  by  his  brother,  the  Honorable  Christopher 
Hutchinson,  (the  present  member  for  the  city  of 
Cork,)  and  Captain  Sweetman,  who,  in  the  most 
energetic  language,  delivered  a  speech  very  pro- 
phetic of  events  that  have  since  taken  place  ;  but  no 
one  argument  was  adduced  by  his  opponents  to  con- 
trovert the  principles  which  he  sought  to  establish. 
On  the  question,  a  division  took  place,  when  the 


68  HISTORY  OF  THE 

number  of  the  silent  freeholders  who  opposed  a  dr.- 
claration  of  the  unalienable  rights  of  the  subject,  ap- 
peared to  be  one  hundred  and  ten  against  forty-five  ; 
three  or  four  gentlemen  of  the  respectable  and  liberal- 
minded  minority  possessed  more  landed  property  in 
the  county  than  the  whole  of  the  majority,  so  that  the 
Roman  Catholics  had  the  satisfaction  to  see  almost 
every  man  of  considerable  landed  property,  and  of 
legal  and  constitutional  information,  go  out  on  the 
division  with  them. 

The  business  being  then  disposed  of,  Mr.  Maxwell 
produced  his  string  of  resolutions,  but  declined 
making  any  comment  on  them,  alleging,  that  it  was 
intended  they  should  be  presented  by  another  gentle- 
man, whose  attendance  at  the  meeting  was  prevented 
by  family  reasons,  and  that  they  had  only  that  morn- 
ing been  put  into  his  hands.  It  was  expected,  that 
as  the  proposer  of  the  resolutions  had  declined  to  go 
into  the  discussion  of  them,  some  other  gentleman 
who  acted  with  him  would  have  undertaken  to  ex- 
plain to  the  freeholders  the  expedience  or  necessity 
of  entering  into  measures  which  appeared  to  be  calcu- 
lated for  no  other  purpose  but  to  create  animosities 
between  Protestants  and  Roman  Catholics,  and  to 
divide  the  former.  The  other  gentlemen  continuing 
silent  on  the  merits,  but  confident  in  their  strength 
of  numbers,  and  loud  in  their  call  for  the  question, 
though  an  adjournment  was  proposed,  it  being  dark 
night,  and  several  moderate  men  declared  their  wish 
to  have  a  day's  time  coolly  to  consider  before  the 
county  should  be  committed  to  an  angry  measure,  it 
became  necessary  for  liie  gentlemen  on  the  other  side 
to  commence  a  debate,  which  continued  until  past 
ten  o'clock,  when,  without  even  attempting  to  answer 
one  argument  of  the  many  that  were  urged  against 
the  resolulious,  the  same  majority,  who  had  rejected 


IRISH  REBELLION.  69 

the  constitutional  and  conciliatory  motion  made  in 
the  morning  by  the  Honorable  Francis  Hutchinson, 
carried  their  point.*  An  address  to  the  county  mem- 
bers was  then  proposed,  of  the  same  purport  as  the 
resolutions,  but  was  afterwards  withdrawn. 

The  next  public  meeting  of  the  county,  convened 
by  the  magistrates  in  the  absence  of  the  sheriff,  was 
held  in  Wexford,  on  Friday  the  11th  of  Januar}-, 
1793,  at  which  Walter  Hore,  Esq.,  presided.  The 
meeting  manifested,  by  public  resolutions,  their  at- 
tachment to  the  constitution,  in  king,  lords,  and  com- 
mons ;  the  necessity  of  a  reform  in  the  commons' 
house  of  parliament,  including  persons  of  all  religious 
persuasions — an  object  Avhich  they  declared  they 
would  endeavor  to  accomplish  by  every  legal  and 
constitutional  means  in  their  power.  It  was  further 
resolved  that  the  people  in  the  county  of  Wexford 
were  perfectly  peaceable  and  quiet ;  no  kind  of  se- 
ditious practices  known ;  nor  the  least  symptom  of 
or  tendency  to  riot ;  but  that  lest  such  should  be  in- 
tended by  any  faction,  they  declared  that  all  attempts 
to  introduce  any  new^  form  of  government  into  the 
country,  or  in  any  manner  to  impair  or  corrupt  the 
three  essential  parts  of  tlie  constitution  consisting  of 
king,  lords,  and  commons,  they  would  resist  with  all 
their  force  and  energy.  These  resolutions  were  for- 
warded to  the  representatives  for  the  county  in  par- 
liament, and  inserted  in  the  public  papers.! 

On  the  same  day  a  society  was  formed  in  the  town 
of  Wexford,  under  the  denomination  of  the  Friends 
of  the  Constitution,  Liberty,  and  Peace.  This  asso- 
ciation was  attended  by  a  great  many  of  the  most 
respectable  and  independent  gentlemen  of  the  county; 
and  their  number  increased  considerably  at  different 

*  See  Appendix,  No.  I.         t  See  Appendix,  No.  H 


70  HISTORY  OF  THE 

successive  meetings.  They  from  time  to  time  passed 
and  published  resolutions  expressive  of  their  senti- 
ments, views,  and  opinions,  similar  to  those  passed 
and  published  by  societies  of  the  like  nature  in  Dub- 
lin, and  many  other  parts  of  Ireland.  But  they  have 
long  since  ceased  to  exist,  and  never  tended  to  dis- 
turb public  tranquillity.  They  were,  indeed,  the 
friends  of  peace  and  harmony  ;  but  their  powers 
were  not  proportionate  to  their  wishes,  and  their  be- 
nevolent efforts  failed  of  the  intended  effect. 

When,  in  the  spring  of  the  year  1793,  the  militia 
regiments  were,  pursuant  to  an  act  of  the  legislature, 
embodied  in  Ireland,  it  occasioned  great  commotion 
in  different  parts  of  the  country,  from  some  silly  mis- 
conceptions that  were  dispersed  through  the  popu- 
lace with  regard  to  the  object  of  the  enrolment.  It 
had  been  rumored  that  the  people  w'ere  to  be  cajoled 
into  the  militia  regiments,  to  be  torn  from  their  fam- 
ilies, and  sent  on  foreign  service.  But  notwith- 
standing this,  the  measure  was  carried  into  effect  in 
the  county  of  Wexford,  perhaps  with  less  ferment 
than  m  any  other  part  of  Ireland.  I  had  the  best 
possible  opportunity  of  knowing  the  fact,  having  been 
appointed  a  deputy-govarnor  of  the  county. 

In  the  summer  of  this  year,  some  tithe-farmers 
took  tithes  in  the  county  of  Wexford,  which  had  been 
formerly  rented  by  others.  These,  unwilling  to  lose 
their  prey  without  an  effort  to  retain  it,  excited  the 
populace  to  resist  the  demands  of  the  new  underta- 
kers, whom  they  called  innovators  and  mtruders. 
Soon  after,  oaths  w^ere  framed  in  imitation  of  similar 
practices  in  Munster.  From  the  neighborhood  of 
Tottenham  Green,  extending  towards  Mount  Lein- 
ster,  and  to  that  part  of  the  county  of  Wexford  called 
the  Duffrey,  the  inhabitants  were  generally  sw^orn. 
On  Sundays,  a  great  concourse  of  people  attended  at 


IRISH  REBELLION.  71 

the  different  places  of  worship — as  well  Protestant 
churches  as  Catholic  chapels — and  swore  the  several 
congregations  to  resist  paying  tithes  under  certain  re- 
strictions, with  a  modification  of  the  fees  of  the 
Catholic  clergy,  and  an  injunction  to  swear  their 
neighboring  parishes.  Thus  about  one  eighth  of  the 
county  was  sworn,  and,  in  all  probability,  the  delu- 
sion might  have  generally  spread,  but  for  the  timely 
exertions  of  several  of  the  country  gentlemen,  who 
used  all  their  influence  to  prevent  their  tenants  and 
neighbors  from  joining  in  such  unlawful  pursuits. 
Different  magistrates  also  attended,  with  parties  of 
the  military,  at  several  places  of  worship,  and  so  put 
a  stop  to  the  general  diffusion  of  this  symptom  of 
riot. 

On  Sunday,  the  7th  of  July,  however,  a  man  was 
taken  in  a  chapel-yard  near  Enniscorthy,  in  the  act 
of  administering  those  unlawful  oaths,  and  sent  into 
the  town  a  prisoner.  The  report  of  this  fact  being 
quickly  circulated  through  the  country,  excited  those 
that  had  been  already  sworn  to  rise  in  a  body  on  the 
Monday  immediately  following,  for  this  man's  libera- 
tion. Intelligence  of  the  approach  of  these  people 
having  been  received  at  Eimiscorlhy,  a  party  of  the 
fifty-sixth  regiment,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Vero, 
a  magistrate,  came  up  with  the  rioters  at  the  hill  of 
Scobie.  Here  Mr.  Vero  received  an  anonymous 
letter,  as  a  message  from  the  populace,  requesting  he 
would  liberate  the  prisoner,  who  was  represented  to 
be  a  silly,  insignificant  fellow.  Mr.  Vero,  from  mo- 
tives of  humanity,  it  is  to  be  presumed,  ahhough  he 
had  a  mihtary  force  to  act  witli  him,  thought  it  most 
prudent  not  to  resist  the  demand.  The  prisoner  was 
set  at  liberty ;  and  this  so  pleased  the  people,  that 
the  air  was  rent  with  their  shouts  of  joy;  and  after  a 
general  volley  of  what  fire-arms  they  had  that  would 


72  HISTORY  OF  THE 

go  off,  ihey  dispersed  to  their  several  homes,  without 
committing  further  outrage,  and  the  mihtary  marched 
back  to  Enniscorthy. 

On  the  same  day,  Mr.  Maxwell,  (now  Colonel 
Barry,)  at  the  head  of  a  troop  of  horse,  in  the  capa- 
city of  a  magistrate,  set  out  from  Newtownbarry, 
scoured  the  country  all  along  as  he  passed  ;  found 
sixteen  men  drinking  in  an  alehouse  on  his  way,  took 
them  all  and  conducted  them  to  Enniscorthy.  The 
sight  of  so  many  prisoners,  being  a  very  extraordinary 
event  in  the  county  of  Wexford,  alarmed  the  peace- 
able inhabitants  of  the  town .  Mr.  Richards,*  the  high- 
sheriff,  repaired  immediately  to  Enniscorthy,  from 
whence,  with  all  possible  speed,  he  dispatched  mes- 
sengers to  convey  this  alarming  intelligence  to  all  the 
gentlemen  of  the  neighborhood  ;  requesting  their  as- 
sistance at  a  meeting  appointed  to  be  held  the  next 
day  at  Enniscorthy.  Notwithstanding  the  shortness 
of  the  notice,  a  great  number  of  gentlemen  attended 
on  Tuesday,  the  9th  of  July,  at  the  Bear  Inn,  in  the 
town  of  Enniscorthy.  I  was  one  of  those  present. 
An  association  was  then  formed  for  the  preservation 
of  the  peace  of  the  county  ;  all  the  well-disposed 
were  invited  to  join,  and  subscriptions  were  immedi- 
ately entered  into,  to  prosecute  the  disturbers  of  the 
public  peace.  In  a  short  time  this  association  was 
composed  of  almost  all  the  resident  gentlemen  of  the 
county  ;  and  their  meetings  were  afterwards  held, 
from  time  to  time,  at  Enniscorthy. 

On  the  first  day  of  meeting,  an  inquiry  into  the 
case  of  the  sixteen  prisoners  took  place  ;  and  various 
were  the  opinions  offered  on  the  occasion.  I  was 
sorry  to  observe  in  the  onset,  that  an  inclination  pre- 
vailed to  attribute  the  riots  to  a  spirit  of  rehgious 

*  Se«  his  certificate  to  the  author,  Appendix,  N&  III, 


IRISH  REBELLION.  73 

bigotry  ;  but  the  futility  of  the  prejudiced  arguments 
were  so  manifestly  contrary  to  the  facts,  that  this 
ground  was  soon  abandoned.  The  result  of  the  in 
quiry  proved  that  the  rioters  had  assembled  the 
day  before,  in  great  numbers,  on  Scobie  Hill,  in  a  hos- 
tile manner,  determined  to  liberate  the  prisoner  by 
force,  if  attempted  to  be  detained.  The  magistrate 
who  attended  on  the  occasion,  was  deemed  to  have 
acted  as  he  did  from  an  idea  of  mistaken  lenity,  al- 
though his  indulgent  conduct  had  so  pleased  the  peo- 
ple, that  they  dispersed  without  having  committed 
any  act  that  the  laws  of  the  country  could  punish  ; 
for  at  that  time  it  was  necessary  to  read  the  riot  act, 
to  constitute  any  assemblage  an  illegal  meeting. 
This  measure  w^as  not  resorted  to  in  the  present  in- 
stance, and  if  it  had,  the  consequent  dispersion  of  the 
multitude  must  have  disarmed  the  law. 

It  was,  however,  thought  necessary  to  impress  on 
the  minds  of  the  people,  that  the  magistracy  would 
at  all  times  resist  the  demands  of  a  riotous  and  armed 
force  with  determined  firmness  ;  and  as  among  the 
sixteen  prisoners  there  were  two  taken  with  fire-arms, 
it  was  judged  expedient  to  commit  these  to  Wexford 
jail,  and  liberate  the  other  fourteen,  on  givuig  bail 
for  good  behavior.  Accordingly  these  two  men 
(whom  the  law  could  not  punish  any  more  than  those 
who  were  liberated)  were  conducted  under  a  milita- 
ry guard  from  Enniscorthy,  through  a  part  of  the 
country  that  escaped  being  sworn,  to  the  east  of  the 
Slaney,  and  lodged  in  the  jail  of  Wexford. 

On  the  morning  of  the  11  th,  great  numbers  of  peo- 
ple assembled  from  Newtownbarry  to  the  Duffrey, 
and  to  Tottenham-green,  searching  the  different 
houses  on  their  way,  on  the  w^estern  side  of  the  river 
Slaney,  making  towards  Wexford,  and  forcing;  every 
man  they  met  to  come  along  with  them.  This  con- 
7 


74  HISTORY  OF  THE 

course  of  people  being  observed  by  many  of  the  coun- 
try folk,  such  as  could  procure  boats  to  convey  them 
to  the  eastern  side  of  the  river,  fled  on  their  approach, 
and  thus  escaped  being  compelled  to  constitute  a 
part  of  the  multitude  ;  but  still  their  numbers  were 
considerably  accumulated  in  the  course  of  their  pro- 
gress. 

On  this  morning,  also,  an  anonymous  letter  was 
received  in  Wexford  by  a  respectable  inhabitant  of 
the  town,  requesting  he  might  apply  to  the  magis- 
trates to  liberate  the  two  prisoners — threatening,  in 
case  of  refusal,  that  a  body  of  some  thousands  would 
come  to  take  them  by  force.  Little  notice  was 
taken  of  this  threat,  nor  did  the  inhabitants  appre- 
hend any  alarm,  until  about  three  o'clock,  a  gentle 
man,  who  had  been  forced  along  by  the  multitude, 
was  seen  galloping  into  the  town,  declaring  that  he 
had  been  sent  to  inform  the  magistrates  that  an  im- 
mense concourse  of  people,  then  not  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  distant,  and  of  apparent  determina- 
tion, were  coming  to  enforce  the  enlargement  of  the 
prisoners.  Lieutenant  Buckby,  of  the  fifty-sixth, 
wlio  had  been  in  Wexford  that  day  alone,  on  regimen- 
tal business,  was.  on  his  return  to  join  his  command 
at  Taghmon,  seized  upon,  and  forced  to  come  back 
with  the  rioters  to  Wexford.  In  a  few  minutes, 
about  fifty  soldiers  of  the  fifty-sixth  regiment,  with 
three  magistrates,  headed  by  the  brave  Major  Vallot- 
ton,  marched  out  to  meet  the  rioters,  who  were  all 
drawn  up  at  the  upper  end  of  John  street,  on  the 
road  leading  to  Taghmon,  in  readiness  to  receive 
them.  The  major,  humanely  intending  to  expostu- 
late, advanced  a  few  paces  before  his  party  ;  but  on 
seeing  one  of  his  ofiScers  a  prisoner  with  the  rioters, 
his  benevolent  intentions  were  dissipated  ;  and  losing 
all  patience,  he  made  a  blow  with  his  sword  at  the 


IRISH  REBELLION.  75 

man  who  had  been  indnced  to  meet  him  in  expostu- 
lation, and  wounded  him  severely.  This  provoked 
resistance,  and  he  in  return  received  a  desperate 
wound  in  the  groin,  of  which  he  languished  for  some 
days  and  died. 

Thus  perished  the  gallant  Vallotton,  who  had  dis- 
tinguished himself  at  the  siege  of  Gibraltar,  under 
the  immortal  Elliot,  as  first  aid-de-camp  to  that  gen- 
eral !  Though  parleying  with  rioters  may  not  at  all 
times,  perhaps,  be  advisable  ;  yet,  when  once  enter- 
ed upon,  the  dignity  of  temper  should  be  maintained, 
and  it  is  much  to  be  lamented,  that  the  major  did 
not  continue  his  original  disposition ;  for  though  it 
should  not  stand  the  test  of  authoritative  severity, 
yet  the  event  might  have  proved  as  bloodless  as  on 
the  previous  occasion  near  Enniscorthy.  An  attack 
on  both  sides  immediately  took  place.  The  contest 
was  but  short.  In  a  few  minutes,  the  rioters  gave 
way  in  all  directions.  Those  who  had  been  forced 
along  by  them,  were  the  first  to  sheer  off,  when  they 
found  an  opportunity,  over  hedges  and  ditches, 
wherever  they  thought  they  could  best  make  their 
escape  ;  numbers  not  knowing  whither  they  were 
flying.  It  may  not  be  unworthy  of  remark,  that 
Captain  Boyd,  then  of  the  Wexford  militia,  had  been 
to  Taghmon  in  the  morning,  with  a  party  of  the  fifty- 
sixth  regiment,  to  escort  a  prisoner  ;  and  was  now  on 
his  return  to  Wexford  as  far  as  Bettiville,  having  no 
other  possible  intimation  of  what  had  happened,  but 
the  confused  flight  of  the  affrighted  rabble.  He  lay 
in  ambuscade  for  their  approach,  and,  from  behind 
the  ditches,  shot  numbers  of  the  fugitives.  The 
weather  being  intensely  warm,  occasioned  the  death 
of  a  great  many  of  the  wounded,  who  might  other- 
wise have  recovered ;  but  lest  their  wounds  might 
betray  them,  they  did  not  apply  for  medical  assist- 


76  HISTORY  OF  THE 

ance.  Many,  too,  who  were  badly  wounded,  ran  as 
far  as  they  could,  and,  being  exhausted,  crawled  for 
concealment  into  the  ditches,  where  ihey  perished, 
and  whence  the  first  intimation  of  iheir  fate  was  con 
veyed  by  the  putrid  exhalation  from  their  bodies. 
Eleven  lay  dead  on  the  scene  of  action  in  John-street; 
one  of  w^hom  was  a  poor  cobbler  of  the  town,  shot 
by  accident.  The  others  were  publicly  exposed  for 
some  time,  and  were  at  length  identified.  Among 
them  there  appeared  four  freeholders,  who  had  been 
polled  at  the  preceding  election  for  the  county.  At 
that  time,  the  Catholics  of  Ireland  could  not  be  free- 
holders in  their  native  land,  by  the  existing  laws  of 
which  they  were  excluded  from  that  privilege.  In 
the  hurry  and  fright  of  the  action,  eight  men  sought 
refuge  in  a  hay-loft,  where  they  were  discovered  af- 
ter the  conflict,  made  prisoners,  and  comm.itted  to 
jail.  One  of  them  died  of  his  wounds,  two  became 
informers,  and  five  w^ere  brought  to  trial,  condemned 
at  the  ensuing  assizes,  and  executed  on  the  26th  of 
July  following.  One  of  these  men,  who  had  been 
in  town  that  day  to  market,  was  on  his  return  home 
obliged  to  come  back  with  the  rioters  ;  and  although 
he  was  proved  a  man  of  most  unexceptionable  char- 
acter, yet  such  was  the  idea  entertained  of  the  neces- 
sity of  public  example,  that  his  character,  or  the  cir- 
cumstance of  innocence,  did  not  save  him. 

The  inhabitants  of  Wexford,  to  prevent  such  an- 
other surprise,  armed  and  embodied  themselves  in 
four  diff"erent  divisions,  officered  by  several  genile- 
men  who  had  served  in  the  army  ;  and  all  under  the 
command  of  Colonel  (now  General)  Nicholls.  He 
gave  his  orders  every  day  on  parade,  and  different 
patrols  perambulated  the  town  and  its  vicinity  every 
night.  Two  pieces  of  cannon  were  planted  on  that 
part  of  the  barrack-hill  which  commands  the  whole 


IRISH  REBELLION.  77 

Street,  and  the  entrance  to  the  jail ;  and  four  others 
were  ready  to  be  brought  to  any  quarter  in  case  of 
emergency. 

During  this  system  of  precaution,  a  soldier  of  the 
fiflysixth  gave  the  alarm  to  his  comrades  in  the  bar- 
racks, that,  as  he  had  been  passing  through  a  church- 
yard in  the  town  he  was  attacked  by  some  of  the  in- 
habitants, who  threatened  him  and  his  regiment  with 
destruction  for  having  fired  against  the  people  ;  and 
that  at  last,  in  the  affray,  he  had  been  fortunate 
enough  to  escape  with  the  loss  of  some  of  his  fin- 
gers. This  story,  artfully  told  by  the  wounded  man, 
roused  the  fury  of  the  soldiers  to  such  a  pitch,  that 
they  made  preparation,  and  were  actually  on  the 
point  of  sallying  forth  from  their  barracks,  to  take 
signal  vengeance  of  the  towns-people.  It  required 
all  tke  exertions  and  authority  of  their  officers  to 
restrain  them  ;  but  this  they  at  length  happily  ef- 
fected. 

The  association  for  preserving  the  peace  of  the 
county  assembled  always  at  Enniscorthy,  (that  being 
the  most  central  situation.)  Tlie  day  after  this  aff'air 
had  been  appointed  for  one  of  their  meetings.  To 
this  meeting  a  gentleman  was  dispatched  from  Wex- 
ford, with  the  foregoing  melancholy  intelligence ; 
and  an  express  request,  that  a  suitable  reward  would 
be  offered  for  the  apprehension  of  the  perpetrators 
of  the  horrid  deed,  'riiis  would  have  been  immedi- 
ately carried  into  effect,  and  orders  sent  by  that 
night's  post  to  have  the  intelligence  generally  circu- 
lated through  the  medium  of  the  Dublin  papers,  had 
it  not  so  happened  that  there  was  not  a  sufficient 
number  of  the  members  of  the  secret  committee  of 
the  association  present,  to  order  the  disbursement  of 
the  necessary  -expenses,  they  having  the  command 
of  the  funds.  But  before  a  competent  consenting 
7* 


78  HISTORY  OF  THE 

number  of  these  could  be  collected,  it  was  discovered 
that  the  soldier  had  been  the  perpetrator  of  the  horrid 
deed  himself,  and  had  been  induced  to  cut  off  his 
fingers  to  prevent  his  going  abroad  with  his  regi- 
ment, then  under  orders  for  foreign  service.  Had  it 
not  been  for  the  prudent  exertions  of  the  officers,  it 
is  more  than  probable  that  this  imposture  would  have 
been  attended  with  dreadful  consequences  before  the 
real  discovery  could  be  made.  The  peace  of  the 
county  was  attended  to  with  the  greatest  activity  and 
vigilance  by  the  association  ;  but,  in  fact,  after  the 
affair  at  Wexford  on  the  11th  of  July,  1793,  before 
detailed,  no  apparent  symptom  or  even  a  disposition 
to  riot  could  be  traced. 

At  the  meetings  of  the  association,  I  perceived 
with  regret  an  insidious  spirit,  eager  and  active,  to 
attach  the  entire  odium  of  the  disturbances  exclu- 
sively on  the  Catholics  ;  although  the  damning  pub- 
lic spectacle,  on  the  exposure  of  the  killed  at  Wex- 
ford, should  surely  ever  have  deterred  barefaced  cal- 
umny and  prejudiced  misrepresentation  from,  future 
exhibition.  Yet,  the  malignant  traducers  of  their 
countrymen  to  foreigners  believed,  or  affected  to  be- 
lieve, this  vile  reproach  on  mere  assertion.  In  any 
other  part  of  the  world  the  uttering  of  such  gross  de- 
traction would  bring  down  public  execration,  and 
perhaps  endanger  the  personal  safety  of  the  hated 
reptile  that  would  dare,  in  this  unqualified  manner, 
to  denounce  a  wiiole  community.  Ireland,  however, 
which,  by  a  peculiar  providence,  is  freed  from  any 
other,  abounds  with  these  monsters  in  human  form, 
who  batten  on  the  ruin  of  public  prosperity. 

These  groundless  insinuations  were  carried  to 
such  lengths,  that,  even  in  the  House  of  Lords,  in 
the  assemblage  of  the  peers  of  the  realm,  Lord  Farn- 
ham  asserted,  with  confidence,  that  the  riots  in  the 


IRISH  REBELLION.  79 

county  of  Wexford  had  become  seriously  alarming ; 
that  the  people  held  nightly  meetings,  and  from  par- 
ish to  parish  had  sworn  not  to  pay  rents,  tithes,  or 
taxes,  and  that  the  lower  orders  of  Catholics  had 
risen  in  consequence  of  a  disappointed  expectation 
of  receiving  ten  pounds  a  year,  as  the  consequent 
advantage  of  their  emancipation,  which  they  had  been 
promised  by  their  delegates.  This  Lord  Farnham 
alleged  in  the  most  solemn  manner,  on  the  authority 
of  letters  received  by  himself  from  a  quarter  the 
most  respectable,  he  said,  in  the  county  of  Wexford.* 
My  surprise  was  great,  indeed,  on  finding  such 
allegations  thus  strongly  asserted  and  become  the 
subject  of  parliamentary  discussion ;  knowing,  as  I 
did,  that  the  riots  had  never  assumed  this  serious 
complexion,  nor  had  in  any  degree  furnished  ground 
for  such  exaggerated  statement.  Being  a  Catholic 
delegate  for  the  county,  I  naturally  felt  an  anxiety  to 
discover  whence  originated  this  extraordinary  infor- 
mation ;  and  thought  the  best  appeal,  at  the  time, 
would  be  to  a  meeting  of  the  association,  composed 
of  almost  all  the  respectable  gentlemen  of  the  county. 
Here  I  complained  that  the  country  was  calumniated, 
and  requested  to  know,  if  I  could  be  informed  who 
it  was  that  had  conveyed  such  strange  and  unwar- 
ranted intelligence  to  Lord  Farnham  ?  I  took  the 
liberty  also  to  declare  that,  let  him  be  who  he  may, 
if  the  facts  existed  to  his  conviction,  he  should  have 
produced  satisfactory  evidence  of  that  conviction  to 
the  association,  the  natural  and  avowed  guardians  of 
the  peace  of  the  county.  I  further  urged,  that  not 
above  one-eighth  of  the  county  had  ever  been  in  a 
state  of  disturbance  ;  that  the  rioters  appeared  to  be 
a  motley  multitude   of  all   persuasions,    to   whom 

*  See  Appendix,  No.  IV. 


80  HISTORY  OF  THE 

religion  appeared  to  be  an  object  of  the  least  con- 
cern. 

The  result  was,  after  a  most  minute  investigation, 
that  the  monstrous  charge  was  deemed  a  gross  and 
unfounded  calumny ;  and  whatever  latitude  preju- 
diced conversation  might  have  taken  at  the  festive 
tables  of  some  gentlemen,  not  one  of  them  presumed 
to  come  forward  in  support  of  the  principles  of  bigot- 
ry against  stubborn  truth  and  undeniable  facts.  But 
had  not  this  inquiry  been  instituted,  it  is  very  prob- 
able that  the  unrefuted  calumnies  against  the  county 
of  Wexford  might  have  led  to  consequences  as  fatal 
and  deplorable  as  happened,  from  like  causes,  in  the 
counties  of  Meath  and  Louth.  These,  however,  I 
will  not  attempt  to  detail,  having  limited  myself,  for 
the  present,  to  the  transactions  of  my  native  county, 
awaiting  an  opportunity  of  general  information. 

The  Catholics  of  the  county  met  at  Wexford,  on 
the  30th  of  July,  for  the  purpose  of  publicly  avow- 
ing their  sentiments  and  principles.  To  this  effect 
they  adopted  resolutions  which  were  given  to  the 
world  in  all  the  public  papers  of  the  day.* 

In  the  year  1795,  when  Lord  Fitzwilliam's  recall 
from  the  government  of  Ireland  w^as  made  known, 
the  freeholders  and  other  inhabitants  of  the  oounty 
of  Wexford  were  summoned  to  meet  on  purpose  to 
deliberate  on  this  unexpected  event.  In  the  absence 
of  tlie  sheriff,  the  summons  was  signed  by  Cornelius 
Grogan,  Isaac  Cornock,  Thomas  Grogan  Knox, 
Harvey  Hay,  and  John  Grogan,  magistrates  of  the 
county.  The  meeting,  which  was  held  in  the  county 
court-house  of  Wexford,  on  the  23d  of  March,  was 
very  numerously  attended.  Unanimous  resolutions 
were  entered  into  ;  a  petition  to  the  king  was  voted  ; 

•  See  Appendix,  No.  V. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  81 

and  Cornelius  Grogan,  Edward  Hay,  and  Beau- 
champ  Bagnal  Harvey,  Esqrs.,  were  appointed  dele- 
gates to  present  it  to  his  majesty.*  An  address  to 
Lord  Fitzwilliam  was  also  voted,  and  Sir  Thomas 
Esmonde,  and  Sir  Frederick  Flood,  Baronets,  and 
William  Harvey,  Esq.,  were  appointed,  and  they  set 
off  instantly  for  Dublin,  to  present  it  to  the  lord  lieu- 
tenant, who  was  hourly  expected  to  leave  the  coun- 
try. The  regret  felt  on  the  recall  of  this  nobleman, 
even  whose  good  intentions  produced  such  cordiality 
and  harmony  among  all  ranks  and  descriptions  of 
people,  is  scarcely  credible.  From  that  period  may 
be  dated  the  origin  of  that  dreadful  state  of  calamity 
and  misfortune  in  which  Ireland  has  been  since  in- 
volved ;  for  it  is  now  evident  to  all,  that  had  the 
measures  intended  to  be  carried  into  effect  by  him 
been  adopted,  the  nation  would  have  continued  its 
happy  career  of  uncommon,  progressive  prosperity. 
It  was  proposed  to  his  lordship  by  the  British  cabinet 
to  cany  the  union,  at  a  time  that  he  had  got  the 
money  bills  passed,  and  was  pledged  to  the  country 
to  have  the  popular  measures  alluded  to  brought 
forward  in  parliament.  It  was  even  suggested,  that 
these  measures  might  go  hand  in  hand  with  the  oth- 
er ;  but  he  preferred  being  recalled  to  giving  his 
support  to  a  business  that  so  strongly  met  his  disap- 
probation ;  nor,  indeed,  is  it  at  all  probable  that  the 
Irish  legislature  and  people  would  have  consented  at 
that  day  to  yield  up  the  dignity  of  independence  for 
any  consideration  the  ministry  could  pretend  to 
offer. 

The  removal  of  Lord  Fitzwilliam  must  ever  be 
considered  as  one  of  the  greatest  misfortunes  that,  in 
the  revolution  of  ages,  has  befallen  this  devoted  na- 

»  See  Appendix,  No.  VI. 


82  HISTORY  OF  THE 

tion.  It  originated  a  train  of  calamitous  circumstan- 
ces, which  the  disclosing  information  of  every  day 
renders  more  and  more  lamentable  to  the  friends  of 
Ireland.  The  great  majority  of  the  people  was  in- 
sulted ;  public  faith  was  violated  ;  the  cup  of  redress 
was  dashed  from  the  lips  of  expectation,  and  it  can- 
not be  wondered  at  that  the  anger  of  disappointment 
should  have  ensued.  Had  the  healinsr  balm  been 
applied  at  the  critical  moment,  the  fever  of  commo- 
tion had  long  since  passed  its  crisis.  Had  the  be- 
nevolent measures  intended  by  that  nobleman  as  the 
basis  of  his  administration,  been  effected,  the  rank- 
ling wounds  of  division  and  distraction  were  forever 
closed,  nor  would  the  poison  of  prejudice  and  party- 
spirit  still  threaten  convulsion  and  confusion  ;  but 
harmony,  confidence,  and  peace,  would  reign  through- 
out the  land. 

Being  one  of  those  who  had  been  chosen  to  pre- 
sent the  petition  of  the  county  of  Wexford  to  his 
majesty,  I  proceeded  as  far  as  Dublin,  on  my  way  to 
London,  with  my  companions  in  appointment.  Here 
it  was  thought  most  advisable  to  get  individual  signa- 
tures to  the  petition,  rather  than  bear  it  with  those 
of  the  chairman  and  secretary,  who  had  signed  it  by 
the  unanimous  order  of  the  county  meeting.  My 
brother  delegates  declined  going  back,  and  1  under- 
took the  task  alone,  at  the  moment  I  was  going  into 
the  packet-boat  to  sail  for  England  :  my  having  sailed 
was  even  announced  in  the  public  papers.  I  return- 
ed to  the  county  of  Wexford,  was  indefatigable  in  my 
exertions,  and  no  greater  proof  can  be  adduced  of  the 
general  public  approbation  of  the  measure,  and  of 
the  unanimity  of  sentiment  prevalent  on  the  occasion, 
than  the  account  of  my  success.  In  the  space  of 
one  week,  I  was  able  to  procure  twenty-two  thou- 
sand two  hundred  and  fifty-one  signatures,  among 


IRISH  REBELLION.  83 

whom  were  all  the  independent  and  respectable  gen- 
tlemen of  the  county.  I  then  proceeded  to  London, 
and  had  the  honor  of  presenting  the  pelition,  with  all 
the  signatures,  to  his  majesty,  on  the  22d  of  April, 
1795,  at  the  levee  at  St.  James's,  along  with  my 
brother  delegates,  and  we  met  with  a  gracious  recep- 
tion.* 

Not  many  years  ago  the  county  of  Wexford  could 
boast  of  independent  principles,  and  the  public  spirit 
of  its  gentry  was  conspicuous.  This,  it  may  be  ob- 
served, was  chiefly  owing  to  the  great  number  of  res- 
ident landlords,  whose  properties  were  so  equally 
divided,  that  there  were  comparatively  but  few  over- 
grown fortunes  among  them.  While  this  state  of 
easy  parity  prevailed,  so  long  lasted  the  peace  and 
prosperity  of  the  county.  At  that  time  respectable 
characters  voluntarily  engaged  themselves  to  pre- 
serve and  maintain  public  order,  and  it  is  easy  to 
conceive  that  the  laws  of  a  country  will  be  well  and 
cheerfully  obeyed,  when  the  police  is  undertaken  by 
a  body  of  uninfluenced  gentlemen,  whose  interest  and 
inclinations  induce  them  to  watch,  with  incessant 
vigilance,  over  its  tranquillity.  The  unbiased  exer- 
tions of  such  men  must  always  ensure  what  the  Irish 
have  ever  yearned  after,  an  impartial  administration 
of  justice  ;  without  which,  laws,  even  of  the  best  de- 
scription, are  nothing  better  than  instruments  of 
tyranny.  But  the  times  have  changed,  and  other 
men  and  other  measures  have  succeeded.  Of  these 
we  shall  presently  have  occasion  to  make  mention. 

The  principle  of  volunteering,  while  it  was  produc- 
tive of  social  and  liberal  intercourse,  appears  to  have 
diffused  a  spirit  of  conviviality  throughout  the  coun- 
try ;  and  so  far  were  the  pleasures  of  the  table  in- 

*  See  Appendix,  No.  VI. 


84  HISTORY  OF  THE 

dulged,  that  the  fortunes  of  many  were  thereby  im- 
paired, and  their  distresses  obhged  them  to  resign 
their  independence.  Representatives  and  their  most 
zealous  friends  and  adherents  fell  into  a  dereliction 
and  abandonment  of  public  concerns,  at  the  same 
time  that  they  neglected  their  private  interests  ;  and 
hence  the  county  may  date  the  loss  of  its  indepen- 
dent character.  Of  this  a  most  striking  instance  can 
be  adduced.  At  an  election,  some  years  back,  one 
of  the  candidates,  who  was  esteemed  by  his  party  a 
stanch  patriot,  came  forward  and  declared  to  the 
people  on  the  hustings,  that  "  no  human  considera- 
tion should  ever  induce  him  to  accept  of  a  place  or 
a  pension,  if  he  became  their  representative."  This 
declaration,  however,  as  will  appear  by  the  sequel, 
he  seems  to  have  thought  no  more  about  than  if  he 
had  swallowed  a  poached  egg ;  (a  memorable  ex- 
pression of  his  own  on  a  late  occasion.)  He  was 
chosen  a  knight  of  the  shire,  and  at.  a  subsequent 
meeting  he  was  actually  absolved  from  this  solemn 
and  voluntary  engagement ;  nay,  truly,  it  was  re- 
quested he  would  accept  of  some  employment ;  and 
he  shortly  afler  meekly  condescended  to  gratify  their 
wishes,  by  accepting  of  a  pension  and  a  place,  which 
he  still  comfortably  retains,  and  is  likely  to  retain  as 
long  as  he  lives,  it  must  be  here  observed,  by  the 
by,  that  the  object  of  such  a  plenaiy  indulgence 
must  be  greatly  endeared  to  such  attached  and  ac- 
commodating constituents ;  the  pleasing  effect  of 
convivial  talents  among  constant  companions,  who 
thus  constitute  their  favorite  the  king  of  his  com- 
pany; a  situation  so  fascinating  to  some  dispositions, 
that  they  will  risk  all  possible  hazards  for  its  main- 
tenance. It  will  not  be  easily  impressed  on  ingenu- 
ous minds,  that  men  who  would  fain  uphold  in  the 
highest  degi-ee  the  dignified  character  of  indepen- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  85 

dence,  should  so  far  forget  themselves  as  to  hold 
forth  to  the  world,  in  a  public  paper,  such  a  memorial 
of  total  indifference  to  that  character.  Yet  in  the 
case  before  us  the  fact  is  incontrovertible. 

It  has  been  too  common  a  foible  with  some  of  our 
gentry  to  aim  at  equal  splendor  and  expense  with 
their  superiors  in  fortune.  Such  men,  before  being 
aware  of  their  situation,  have  incautiously  expended 
largely  above  their  incomes.  A  system  of  such  care- 
less dissipation  and  extravagant  squandering  must 
destroy  the  most  ample  resources  ;  and  men  long  in 
the  habit  of  indulging  those  propensities,  on  finding 
their  means  abridged,  and  themselves  deeply  in- 
volved, have  still  an  aching  reluctance  to  give  up  any 
share  of  their  ideal  consequence.  Instead,  therefore, 
of  resorting  to  any  rational  plan  of  economy,  the}'"  en- 
deavor to  get  within  the  circle  of  some  lord  or  great 
man,  supposed  to  be  possessed  of  extensive  patron- 
age. They  court  his  smiles,  and  if  their  efforts  are 
crowned  with  any  degree  of  success,  they  instantly 
conclude,  that  all  their  misapplied  expenditure  must 
be  amply  reimbursed  by  this  very  often  empty  spec- 
ulation. They  count  upon  places  and  employments 
of  great  emoluments  for  themselves  and  their  chil- 
dren ;  and  thus  they  abandon  all  idea  of  the  certain 
pursuits  of  industry,  trade,  and  honorable  profession. 
They  launch  into  the  lotteiy  of  patronage,  and  yield 
up  their  spirit  of  independence,  and  all  their  actions, 
(out  of  the  circle  of  their  families,)  to  the  utter  con- 
trol and  directing  will  of  their  adopted  patron.  It  is 
presumed,  that  any  person  acquainted  with  the  state 
of  Ireland  must  perceive  that  this  system  has  unfor- 
tunately been  but  too  largely  pursued,  and  too  much 
acted  upon  ;  and  it  is  also  pretty  notorious,  that  the 
county  of  Wexford  has  been  for  some  time  past  what 
is  not  unaptly  termed  lord-ridden.  Slaves  to  their 
8 


86  HISTORY  OF  THE 

superiors,  but  tyrants  to  their  inferiors,  these  needy- 
adventurers  become  the  tools  of  prevailing  power. 
Justices  of  the  peace  are  selected  from  this  class,  and 
these,  by  this  degree  of  elevation,  (certainly  to  them 
the  station  is  an  exalted  one,)  think  themselves  raised 
to  a  level  of  equality  with  the  most  respectable  gen- 
tlemen in  the  country.  But  their  ignorance  is  so  pre- 
posterous, and  their  behavior  so  assuming,  that  men 
of  education,  talents,  and  fortune,  are  induced  to 
withhold  themselves  from  a  situation  they  would 
otherwise  grace,  as  it  might  oblige  them  to  confer 
with  fellows  with  whom  they  would  not  by  any 
means  hold  communion  or  keep  company.  Thus 
are  the  very  men  who  ought  to  be  the  magistrates 
of  the  country,  and  who  would  cheerfully  accept  the 
office  were  they  to  associate  with  proper  companions 
in  duty,  deterred  from  holding  commissions  of  the 
peace  ;  while  the  justice  and  police  of  the  communi- 
ty is  left  to  ignorant,  presuming,  and  intemperate 
upstarts,  devoid  of  all  qualification  and  endowment, 
except  that  alone,  if  it  may  be  termed  such,  of  un- 
conditional submission  and  obedience  to  the  control- 
ling nod  of  their  boasted  patrons.  If  they  faithfully 
adhere  to  this,  they  may  go  all  lengths  to  raise  their 
consequence,  and  enhance  their  estimation  with  tiie 
mulliludc.  These  creatures  have  therefore  the  ef- 
frontery to  push  themselves  forward  on  every  occa- 
sion ;  and  after  a  series  of  habitual  acts  of  turpitude, 
whenever  an  opportunity  offers  itself,  they  become 
the  scourges  and  the  firebrands  of  the  country.  It  is 
much  to  be  lamented  that  there  are  but  too  many  ex- 
amples of  this  melancholy  truth,  and  that  in  too  many 
instances  these  wretches  have  been  set  on  to  commit 
flagrant  acts  of  outrage,  to  answer  the  political  pur- 
poses of  their  patrons,  who  shrink  from  appearmg 
personally  concerned  in  these  deeds  of  shame.     On 


IRISH  REBELLION.  87 

such  occasions,  from  behind  the  curtain,  the  hireling 
crew  are  sent  out  to  riot  on  the  pubHc  stage,  and 
dreadful  are  the  consequences  that  follow;  while  the 
vile  understrappers  are  utterly  ignorant  of  tlie  cause, 
and  never  question  the  motive  of  their  subornation. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1795,  parties  of  con- 
tending rioters,  denominated  Peep-o' -day -Boys,  and 
Defenders,  disturbed  different  parts  of  the  province 
of  Ulster,  by  acts  of  violence  and  outrage  against 
each  other.  Some  say  their  animosities  originated 
from  electioneering.  To  these  succeeded,  in  the 
summer  of  the  same  year,  a  description  of  public 
disturbers,  calling  themselves  Orangemen,  who  now 
made  their  first  appearance  in  the  count}?-  of  Ar- 
magh. Their  object  appears  to  have  been,  not  to 
sufii'er  a  Catholic  to  remain  within  the  limits  of  their 
sphere  of  action.  They  posted  up  on  the  doors  of 
tlie  Catholics  peremptory  notices  of  departure  ;  spe- 
cifying the  precise  time,  a  loeek  at  the  farthest, 
pretty  nearly  in  the  following  words  : — "  To  hell  or 
to  Connaught  with  you,  you  bloody  Papists  !  and  if 
you  are  not  gone  hy''^  (mentioning  the  day)  "  we  vnll 
come  and  destroy  yourselves  and  your  properties. 
We  all  hate  the  Papists  here^  They  generally 
were  as  good  as  their  words.  The  Catholics  at  first 
saved  themselves  by  flight ;  but  those  who  received 
notices  at  a  later  period  were  able  to  take  some  of 
their  properties  along  with  them.  It  is  astonishing 
to  think  that  such  events  could  take  place,  where 
there  were  any  men  of  intelligence,  honesty,  or 
public  spirit ;  and  still  the  facts  are  indubitable ; 
nay,  these  enormities  seem  to  have  been  connived 
at,  or  totally  overlooked,  until  many  thousands  of 
the  Catholics  were  thus  driven  from  that  part  of  the 
country,  and  that  it  became  necessary  to  find  occu- 
piers for  the  lands  they  had  been  obliged  to  aban- 


88  HISTORY  OF  THE 

don.  Even  the  gentlemen  of  landed  interest  in  the 
county  did  not  exhibit,  by  any  public  testimony,  a 
disavowal  of  these  horrid  atrocities,  until  the  period 
of  setting  the  forsaken  territory  roused  them  from 
their  slumbers.  Then  they  discovered,  to  their 
amazement  and  dismay,  that  among  the  few  bidders 
who  appeared,  not  one  w-as  found  to  offer  more  for 
any  lot,  than  about  half  what  was  paid  for  the 
same  before  by  the  Catholic  tenant.  Then,  indeed, 
and  not  till  then,  did  the  banishment  of  the  Catholics 
appear  alarming.  It  was  seriously  alarming  to  gen- 
tlemen, thus  in  a  moment  to  lose  half  their  incomes; 
but  until  this  fatal  discovery  was  made,  the  number 
of  wretched  poor,  proscribed  and  violently  driven 
from  their  homes,  deprived  of  their  cabins  and  their 
all,  was  a  circumstance  unworthy  of  these  gentle- 
men's notice. 

To  counteract  this  calamity  as  much  as  possible, 
a  numerous  meeting  of  the  magistrates  of  the  county 
of  Armagh  was  held  at  the  special  instance  of  the 
governor.  Lord  Viscount  Gosford,  on  the  28th  day 
of  December,  1795.  To  this  assemblage,  on  taking 
the  chair  as  president,  his  lordship  spoke  a  pointed 
address  on  the  occasion ;  which,  together  with  the 
proceedings,  was  published  in  The  Dublin  Journal 
of  the  5th  of  January,  1796.* 

A  circumstantial  detail  of  these  occurrences  in 
the  north  would  be  inconsistent  with  my  original  in- 
tention of  confining  myself,  for  the  present,  to  the 
transactions  in  the  county  of  Wexford  ;  but  I  have 
been  led  into  this,  I  hope  excusable  digression,  in 
order  to  account  to  the  reader,  in  a  great  measure, 
for  the  dreadful  impression  made  on  the  minds  of 
the  people,  at  a  future  period,  by  the  rumors,  that 

*  See  Appendix,  No.  VII. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  89 

Orangemen  were  sworn  for  the  destruction  of  the 
Catholics  !  Were  these  rumors  to  be  grounded  only 
on  Lord  Gosford's  statement,  (too  authentic  to  admit 
a  possibility  of  denial,)  and  true  only  in  the  extent 
his  lordship  has  allowed  them,  with  what  terrible 
apprehensions  must  they  fill  the  minds  of  a  simple,  op- 
pressed, and  degraded  people,  such  as  the  Irish  peas- 
antry are  generally  known  to  have  been  for  ages  past  ? 
But  when  it  is  considered,  that  the  horrid  acts  them- 
selves have  never  been  disavowed  ;  and  the  reports 
of  them  have  rung  in  the  ears  of  every  individual 
throughout  the  nation,  (perhaps  with  aggravated  cir- 
cumstances, as  it  usually  happens,)  the  reflecting 
reader  is  referred  to  his  own  judgment,  to  estimate 
how  much  the  woful  tale  of  the  forlorn  sufferers,  by 
its  reverberation  from  one  end  of  the  island  to  the 
other,  must  affect  the  mind,  alarm  the  imagination, 
and  inflame  the  resentments  of  an  irritated,  insulted, 
and  violated  community.  What  advantage  might 
not  be  taken  of  a  ferment  thus  excited,  by  designing 
men — perhaps,  too,  by  the  greatest  enemies  of  the 
people  ?  For  such  frequently  assume  the  mask  of 
friendship  and  condolence,  and  apparently  affect 
counteracting  the  sinister  designs  of  their  minions, 
in  order  to  accomplish  their  private  views,  through  a 
show  of  popularity. 

Various,  as  has  been  observed,  were  the  descrip- 
tions of  the  disturbers  of  the  public  peace  in  Ulster. 
Numbers  went  about  in  the  night,  searching  houses, 
and  taking  away  all  the  arms  they  could  find,  with- 
out violating  any  other  property.  This  becoming 
generally  known,  the  houses  were  usually  opened 
upon  the  first  summons.  This  easy  mode  of  admit- 
tance was  afterwards  taken  advantage  of  by  com- 
mon robbers,  who  at  first  only  assumed  the  charac- 
ter of  disanners,  to  come  at  their  prey  with  less 
8* 


90  HISTORY  OF  THE 

trouble  and  more  certainty.  After  a  continued  se- 
ries of  similar  circumstances  of  violence  and  out- 
rage, arising  from  a  nation's  greatest  curse,  the  dis- 
union of  its  people,  but  which  our  limits  will  not 
permit  us  to  detail  at  present,  General  Lake  issued 
his  proclamation  for  disarming  the  inhabitants  of  the 
north  of  Ireland,  on  the  13th  of  March,  1797;  and 
on  the  21st  of  the  same  month,  Mr.  Grattan,  after  a 
speech  delivered  with  his  usual  force  of  talent  and 
brilliant  ability,  moved  for  an  inquiry  into  the  causes 
which  produced  this  proclamation ;  but  his  motion 
was  unfortunately  rejected.  The  persecutions  in 
the  county  of  Armagh  were  so  flagrant,  and  the  con- 
duct of  many  of  the  magistrates  so  contrary  to  law, 
that  applications  were  made  to  the  Court  of  King's 
Bench  for  attachments  against  several  of  them,  but 
a  bill  of  indemnity  prevented  a  judicial  investiga- 
tion of  their  conduct ;  and  thus  they  were  screened 
from  merited  punishment.  This  total  disregard  of 
their  grievances,  and  inattention  to  their  complaints, 
added  to  the  barbarous  outrages  afterwards  com- 
mitted by  the  military  in  the  northern  counties,  very 
much  exasperated  the  feelings  of  the  suffering  party. 
They  resorted  for  temporary  relief  to  private  sorrow 
and  secret  lamentation.  In  this  sad  state,  bordering 
on  despair,  every  injured  person  sympathized  with 
his  neighbor  in  affliction  ;  and  their  united  resent- 
ments, like  a  raging  flame,  suppressed  but  not  ex- 
tinguished, were  the  more  likely  to  burst  forth  with 
sudden  fury  and  unexpected  violence.  It  may  not 
be  impertinent  to  remark,  that  in  all  cases  of  popular 
commotion,  an  inquiry  into  the  alleged  grievances 
ought  to  go  hand  in  hand  with  the  measures  of  rigor 
and  coercion.  These  two  principles  are  far  from 
being    incompatible,   and    any  goveniment    acting 


IRISH  REBELLION.  91 

upon  them  must  be  certain  of  conciliating  obedience 
and  affection,  respect  and  attachment. 

The  Earl  of  Moira,  with  that  dignified  humanity 
which  has  ever  graced  his  noble  character,  brought 
the  distresses  of  Ireland  before  the  British  house 
of  lords,  on  the  22d  of  November,  1 797 ;  when  he 
gave  a  heart-rending  description,  in  his  native  strain 
of  elevation,  of  the  savage  cruelties  practised  by  the 
military  against  the  people,  and  offered,  at  the  mo- 
ment, to  produce  at  the  bar  incontrovertible  proof 
of  his  assertions.  He  concluded  his  able  statement 
by  moving  an  address  to  the  sovereign,  the  principal 
purport  of  which  was,  ''humbly  hoping  that  his 
majesty  might  be  graciously  pleased  to  take  into  his 
paternal  consideration  the  disturbed  state  of  Ireland, 
and  to  adopt  such  lenient  measures  as  might  appear 
to  his  royal  wisdom  and  benignity  best  calculated  to 
restore  tranquillity  and  excite  affection."  But  sad  to 
tell,  his  lordship  was  not  more  fortunate  in  the 
British  house  of  lords,  than  was  Mr.  Grattan,  the 
preceding  March,  in  the  Irish  house  of  commons. 
Both  motions  had  the  same  unlucky  fate  of  rejec- 
tion. On  the  following  day,  (the  23d  of  November,) 
Mr.  Fox  made  a  similar  benevolent  and  patriotic 
effort,  (and  who  is  unacquainted  with  his  powers  ?) 
in  the  British  house  of  commons,  but  with  the  like 
success.  He  concluded  a  lucid  and  animated  speech 
with  the  following  pointed  and  emphatic  quotation 
from  Cicero,  which  I  cannot  resist  inserting : — 
"  Carum  esse  civibus,  bene  de  rejyublicd  mereri, 
laudari,  coli,  diligi,  gloriosum  est ;  metui  vero  et  in 
odio  esse,  invidiosum,  detestabile,  imbecillum,  cadu- 
cum  :" — To  be  dear  to  one's  countrymen,  to  deserve 
well  of  the  commonweal,  to  be  praised,  to  be  re- 
spected, to  be  beloved,  is  glorious  ;  but  to  be  feared 


92  HISTORY  OF  THE 

and  encompassed  with  hatred  is  invidious,  is  detes- 
table, is  tottering,  is  ruinous. 

The  appointment  of  General  Sir  Ralph  Abercrom- 
by,  on  the  12th  of  December,  1797,  to  the  chief 
command  of  the  forces  in  Ireland,  gave  general 
satisfaction,  and  afforded  a  ray  of  hope  to  drooping 
despondency.  The  subsequent  display  of  his  emi- 
nent virtues  evinced  the  justice  of  favorable  expec- 
tation. Having  been  quartered  in  Ireland  through 
most  of  his  gradations  of  well-merited  promotion,  he 
possessed  a  perfect  local  knowledge  of  the  countr}^ ; 
and  he  now  resolved  in  person  to  visit  every  district, 
and  thus  he  made  a  tour  of  observation  through  the 
whole  island.  After  a  strict  review  of  every  object 
worthy  of  his  attention,  he  published  on  his  return  to 
Dubhn  general  orders  to  the  several  military  com- 
manders, wherein,  after  having  reprobated  the  irregu- 
larities of  the  soldiery,  he  directed  the  necessary  re- 
straint for  their  disorderly  conduct.  These  orders 
were  issued  from  the  adjutant-general's  office,  in 
Dublin,  on  the  26th  of  February,  1797.* 

The  Earl  of  Moira,  animated  by  i\\e  same  gener- 
ous motives  that  always  influenced  his  conduct,  made 
his  last  effort  to  avert  the  impending  storm.  With 
this  benevolent  intention,  on  the  19th  of  February, 
1798,  he  moved  in  the  Irish  House  of  Lords,  "  That 
an  humble  address  be  presented  to  his  excellency  the 
jord-lieutenant,  representing,  that  as  parliament  hath 
confided  to  his  excellency  extraordmary  powers  for 
supporting  the  laws  and  defeating  any  traitorous 
combinations  which  may  exist  in  this  kingdom,  this 
house  feels  it,  at  the  same  time,  its  duty,  as  those 
powers  have  not  produced  the  desired  effect,  to  re- 
commend the  adoption  of  such  conciliatory  measures 

*  See  Appendix,  No.  VIII. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  93 

as  may  allay  the  apprehensions  and  extinguish  the 
discontents  unhappily  prevalent  in  this  country." 
This  motion  was  introduced  after  an  affecting  speech 
of  uncommon  energy,  but  it  was  negatived  without 
further  investigation — a  circumstance  that  furnishes 
strong  ground  for  the  opinion  of  many  intelligent  men, 
that  the  door  was  shut,  at  that  time,  against  all  in- 
quiry, for  purposes  not  then  known,  or  even  imagined 
by  the  public ;  but  which,  however,  were  foretold, 
as  if  from  a  spirit  of  inspiration,  even  in  the  minutest 
circumstances,  by  those  elevated  geniuses  whose 
comprehensive  views  in  regard  to  the  concerns  of 
their  country  were  unlimited.  The  great  measure 
was  still  in  reserve,  and  not  to  be  brought  forward 
until  the  country  should  be  completely  paralyzed. 
This  unhappy  crisis,  it  is  thought,  was  long  in  agita- 
tion and  deeply  premeditated.  I  crave  the  reader's 
permission,  while  I  endeavor  to  sketch  a  brief  out- 
line of  the  manner  in  which  it  is  supposed  to  have 
been  finally  effected. 

During  the  American  war,  at  one  time,  nearly  all- 
the  troops  on  the  Irish  establishment  were  drawn  off 
to  support  that  unfortunate  contest.  The  combined 
fleets  of  France  and  Spain  were  riding  triumphant  in 
the  Channel,  and  our  shores  were  every  moment 
threatened  w'itli  a  formidable  invasion.  In  this  peril- 
ous situation  Ireland  was  advised  by  the  British  min- 
istry to  defend  herself  as  well  as  she  could,  as  she 
was  now  left  no  other  resource.  The  latent  spirit 
of  the  nation  was  roused  at  the  approach  of  danger. 
Upwards  of  one  hundred  thousand  heroes  instantly 
appeared,  self-clothed,  self-armed,  perfectly  equipped 
and  appointed,  ready  to  oppose  w^ith  dauntless  cour- 
age the  menacing  foe  that  would  rashly  venture  to 
insult  our  coast.  These  were  the  ever  memorable 
and  ever  glorious  volunteers  of  Ireland.     Our  ene- 


94  HISTORY  OF  THE 

mies  were  all  at  once  completely  scared,  they  shrunk 
into  their  ports  ;  and  our  shores,  then  too  command- 
ing for  an  attempt  to  land,  were  left  unmolested. 
Our  people  were  united  in  harmonious  resokition ; 
every  breast  glowed  with  patriotic  ardor,  and  the  sal- 
vation of  Ireland,  otherwise  left  to  inevitable  destruc- 
tion, was  the  consequence.  The  hour  of  security 
and  social  intercourse  produced  reflection.  The 
saviours  of  their  country  quickly  discovered  that  they 
existed  in  a  state  of  thraldom  to  the  British  parlia- 
ment. They  demanded  a  redress  of  grievances  ;  it 
could  not  be  refused  ;  and  the  national  legislature 
was  consequently  declared  independent.  This  great 
event  took  place  in  1782,  and  a  rapid  increase  of 
national  prosperity  succeeded  ;  our  commerce,  being 
less  shackled,  became  more  extensive,  and  the  capi- 
tal of  the  •  island  improved  in  splendor  and  magnifi- 
cence. But  it  was  with  the  utmost  reluctance,  and 
under  circumstances  of  imperious  necessity,  that 
these  concessions  seemed  to  be  made  by  the  British 
•cabinet,  while  the  most  maHgnant  envy  rankJed  in 
the  bosoms  of  the  enemies  of  Ireland.  But  there 
was  no  alternative.  A  diff'usion  of  liberal  sentiment 
and  a  unity  of  interests  had  combined  men  of  all 
ranks  and  persuasions  in  the  common  cause.  The 
unhallowed  monster  of  religious  bigotry  could  no 
longer  be  introduced  to  foment  prejudice  and  sow- 
baleful  division ;  all  was  concord  and  unanimity. 
But  the  object  of  creating  disunion  and  annulling  the 
benefits  obtained  was  never  lost  sight  of;  and  the 
happy  state  of  Ireland  continued  unuiterrupted  only 
until  the  dissolution  of  the  volunteer  associations, 
(and  this  was  contrived  as  speedily  as  possible,)  and 
till  other  schemes  were  put  in  practice  to  dissipate 
the  union  of  sentiment  which  so  happily  prevailed. 
Much  time  was  not  lost,  therefore,  to  put  every  en- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  95 

gme  at  work  for  this  detested  purpose.  In  1786,  a 
set  of  commercial  regulations,  denominated  proposi- 
tions, was  drawn  up  in  the  Irish  House  of  Commons, 
and  transmitted  for  the  consideration  of  the  British 
parliament.  From  thence  they  were  returned  so 
altered,  that  the  Irish  minister  of  the  day  found  it 
expedient  not  to  press  them  forward.  It  was  assert- 
ed that  the  propositions  so  garbled,  went  the  full 
length  of  annihilating  by  implication  the  independence 
so  lately  acquired ;  and  this  proceeding  excited  no 
small  degree  of  irritation.  The  same  year,  among 
other  means  of  disturbing  the  harmony  of  the  people, 
the  Right  Rev.  Doctor  Woodward,  late  Bishop  of 
Cloyne,  taking  advantage  of  some  disturbances,  ex- 
cited by  the  exactions  of  tithe  farmers  in  Munster, 
fulminated  a  pamphlet  pronouncing  the  church  and 
state  in  danger.  The  trump  of  discord  thus  delibe- 
rately blown,  was  resounded  by  an  intemperate  wri- 
ter, under  the  assumed  name  of  "  Tlieophilus." 
This  scurrilous  publication  (at  first  acknowledged, 
but  afterwards  denied  by  its  reputed  author)  was  al- 
ways with  good  reason  attributed  to  a  civilian  engaged 
in  the  service  of  the  established  church,  and  now  at 
the  head  of  its  judicial  concerns.  This  author's  pub- 
lication is  notorious  for  virulent  abuse,  for  gross  and 
foul  invectives  against  Catholics  in  public — though 
he  had  a  Catholic  of  the  gentler  sex  the  wedded 
partner  of  his  existence,  and  though  in  private  life 
endeavoring  to  maintain  habits  of  intimacy  with  many 
of  the  Catholic  clergy.  But  what  reliance  is  to  be 
placed  on  the  declamations  of  a  man  whose  practice 
is  so  contrary  to  his  professions  ?  But  he  may  well 
play  the  ambidexter,  when  his  pleadings  have  heaped 
on  him  a  multiplicity  of  profitable  situations,  (which 
he  does  not  admit  to  be  places  or  employments,)  and 
in  his  convivial  moments  he  is  foully  belied  if  he 


96  HISTORY  OF  THE 

does  not  mightily  enjoy  the  joke.  These,  and  such- 
like productions,  dictated  by  the  spirit  of  discord, 
were  refuted  by  several  able  pens  of  the  day,  but 
particularly  convicted  by  the  irresistible  force  of  the 
benevolent  O'Leary's  dignified  ridicule.  This  di- 
vine, professing  the  true  spirit  of  the  Gospel,  excited 
by  the  purest  motives  of  patriotism  and  Christian 
charity,  steps  forward,  and  by  his  exhortations  and 
example,  contributed  more  effectually  to  quiet  the 
minds  of  the  people  and  appease  the  tempest,  by 
bringing  them  back  to  a  sense  of  their  religion,  and, 
without  the  loss  of  a  life,  effected  more  than  a  host 
prompted  by  prejudiced  coercion,  or  a  formidable 
army.  The  happy  effects  of  the  exertions  of  this 
extraordinary  man,  whose  talents  were  so  eminently 
useful  at  this  critical  period,  attracted  the  notice  of 
majesty,  and  with  becoming  gratitude,  unsolicited  on 
his  part,  received  a  small  annuity  as  a  token  of  royal 
favor;  his  talents  wxre  considered  too  conspicuous  to 
lie  dormant,  and  very  advantageous  offers  were  made  to 
him  to  write  for  a  periodical  publication  that  militated 
against  his  principles  ;  he  had  no  other  property,  yet 
he  rejects  it  w-ith  scorn,  although  he  w^as  certain 
thereby  to  incur  the  displeasure  of  the  ruhng  powers 
in  Ireland,  that  would  do  all  in  their  power  to  injure 
him,  wdiich  he  preferred  to  the  prostitution  of  his 
heavenly  talents,  and  he  retires  from  his  native  coun- 
try and  repairs  to  England,  w^here  the  enviable  bless- 
ings of  the  constitution  are  experienced  infinitely 
more  than  in  Ireland.  Yet  all  these  exertions  did 
not  allay  the  public  ferment,  and  the  hateful  and  mel- 
ancholy effects  of  religious  dissension  were  but  too 
general ;  and  hence  may  be  deduced  the  most  la- 
mentable misfortunes  to  Ireland — the  I'evival  of  re' 
li§ious  enmity. 

No  means  were  omitted   thenceforward  by  the 


IRISH  REBELLION.  97 

principal  actors  on  the  occasion,  of  cherishing  the 
animosities  thus  excited  ;  confident  that  this  proce- 
dure alone  would  best  bear  them  to  their  end.  This 
may  be  fairly  concluded  from  what  dropped  in  the 
debate  on  the  famous  propositions.  A  leading  per- 
son, then  high  in  confidence  and  official  situation, 
and  who,  before  the  final  object  was  attained,  arrived 
at  the  chief  judicial  capacity  of  the  land,  pronounced 
in  the  moment  of  exasperated  disappointment,  that 
"  the  Irish  were  a  besotted  people,  easily  roused,  and 
easily  appeased  f''  and,  in  terms  unfit  for  decency  to 
utter,  he  is  said  \o  have  threatened  to  tame  their  re- 
fractory spirits.  In  trulli,  he  then  delivered  the  sen- 
timents of  his  party,  as  well  as  his  own  determina- 
tion, to  which  he  strictly  adhered  ever  after.  This 
man  of  narrow  politics  omitted  no  occasion  of  ac- 
complishing the  humiliation  of  his  native  country. 
Opposing,  with  licentious  petulance,  all  rational 
schemes  of  reform;  reprobating  with  plebeian  ribald- 
ry the  justice  of  Catholic  claims;  and  provoking 
public  anger  by  insulting  public  feeling,  he  saw  with 
gloomy  satisfaction,  before  his  premature  dissolution, 
his  ruthless  system  carried  into  woful  effect.  The 
trampled  populace  were  goaded  to  resistance  ;  their 
smothered  resentments  burst  into  a  llame  that  was 
not  ver}'  easily  extinguished  ;  the  nation  was  dis- 
tracted ;  and  the  long  premeditated  measure  of  in- 
corporating union  succeeded,  after  a  spirited  but  in- 
effectual resistance ;  and  thus  ended  the  political 
drama  of  Ireland.     But  to  return. 

Sir  Ralph  Abercromby,  after  the  publication  of 
his  general  orders,  and  the  knowledge  he  had  ac- 
quired in  his  general  view  of  the  country,  endeavored 
in  vain  to  impress  the  minds  of  those  in  power  with 
his  own  well-founded  opinion,  that  coercive  measures, 
in  the  extent  determined  on,  were  by  no  means  ne» 

9 


98  HISTORY  OF  THE 

cessary  in  Ireland.     Unwilling,  therefore,   to  tarnish 
his   military  fame,   or  rit>k   the  loss  of  humane  and 
manly  character  by  leading  troops  to  scenes  of  cold- 
blood   slaughter  and   civil   desolation  ;    sooner  than 
sanction'  by  his   presence   proceedings   so  abhorrent 
from  his  nature,  he  resigned  the  chief  command  of 
the  army  in  Ireland,  on  the  29th  of  April,  1798.  His 
departure  has,  indeed,  been  a  sore  misfortune  to  this 
unhappy  nation  ;   and  had  any  casualty  detained  him 
here  but  one  month  longer,  it  would  have  been- prov- 
idential, for  when  the  insurrection  had  actually  bro- 
ken out,  he  could  not  so  well  have  resigned  the  com- 
mand ;    and  his  dignified  autliority  would  have  re- 
strained the  soldiery  from  the  horrid  excesses  they 
afterwards  committed.     He  was  too  good  and  too 
great   a  blessing  for  this  ill-fated  land  to  possess  at 
that  time  ;    he  did  all   in  his  power  to  prevent  the 
woful  calamities  that  followed  ;  his  splendid  exploits 
in  Egypt  have  rendered  his  fame  immortal ;    and  his 
death,  though  glorious,  has   left   an  aching  pang  in 
the  bosom  of  every  true  lover  of  this  distracted  coun- 
try.    May  the  olive-branch  which  he  waved  in  Ire- 
land be  never  forgotten  among  his  unfading  laurels  ! 
A  strong  confirmation,  if  further  proof  were  at  all 
necessary,   of  the  great  discrimination    of  General 
Abercromby's  comprehensive  mind,  is   his   marked 
selection  of  a  dignified  character  with  whom  to  share 
his  confidence,  as  second   in  command,  when  going 
on  the  expedition  to  Eg}'pt.     His  choice  could  not 
have  fallen  more  judiciously  than  on  Lord  Hutchin- 
son, whose  brilliant  achievements  and   splendid  tri- 
umphs  have  since  so  largely  added  to   Irish   fame, 
and  adorned  himself  with   merited    honors.      This 
nobleman  appears   to   have  rivalled  his  great  friend 
as  well  in  humanity  as  glory.     Their  opinions  re- 
epecting   Ireland   strictly  coincided.      Witness   his 


IRISH  REBELLION.  99 

lordship's  well-known  sentiment  of  "  I  abominate 
THE  TORTURE,"  delivered  in  the  winter  of  1798,  in 
the  Irish  parliament,  in  the  debate  on  the  bill  of  in- 
demnity, for  screening  the  violent  proceedings  of  the 
sheriff  of  the  county  of  Tipperary ;  and  it  is  happy 
such  sentiment  did  not  deprive  him  of  command. 
The  opposition  of  the  entire  Hutchinson  family  to 
oppressive  measures  was  conspicuous  on  this  occa- 
sion ;  and  their  exertions  were  indefatigable  for  the 
maintenance  of  peace  and  order  throughout  the 
whole  of  the  arduous  period  of  disturbance.  They 
all  breathed  the  same  sentiment  of  benevolence  and 
humanity.  The  .Earl  of  Donoughmore  exerted  all 
his  power  and  influence  to  throw  open  the  gates  of 
mercy  to  the  wretched  people ;  and  his  brother,  the 
Hon.  Francis  Hely  Hutchinson,  who  succeeded  Mr. 
Judkin  Fitzgerald  as  sheriff  of  the  county  of  Tippe- 
rary, was  eminent  in  support  of  abhorrence  of  the 
torture.  In  short,  the  afltible  demeanor,  the  kind  and 
conciliating  manners  of  this  entire  family,  fascinated 
the  minds  of  the  people,  and  thus  prevented  shock- 
ing scenes  of  dreadful  devastation,  wherever  they 
possessed  influence  or  had  command,  particularly  in 
the  counties  of  Tipperary,  Cork,  and  Galway,  much 
more  effectually  than  an}^  measures  of  violence  or 
coercion  could  ever  accomplish.  I  hope,  at  a  future 
period,  to  be  enabled  to  do  more  justice  to  the  great 
merits  of  this  family,  by  faithfully  recording  their 
generous  actions  in  Munster  in  1798,  a  task  that 
must  be  grateful  to  every  lover  of  humanity,  and  of 
Ireland,  and  those  of  other  celebrated  characters, 
that  the  limits  of  my  present  publication  permits  me 
only  to  glance  at. 

Immediately  on  the  departure  of  General  Aber- 
cromby,  the  military  were  sent  out  at  free  quarters 
in  the  county  of  Kildare  and  parts  of  the  counties 


100  HISTORY  OF  THE 

of  Carlow  and  Wicklow.  What  hardships,  what 
calamity,  what  misery  must  not  the  wretched  people 
suffer,  on  whom  were  let  loose  such  a  body  as  the 
soldiery  then  in  Ireland  are  described  to  be  in  the 
general  orders  before  alluded  to  of  the  26th  of  April, 
1798  !  They  became  masters  of  ever}?-  house  in  the 
country  ;  the  real  owners  were  obliged  to  procure 
them  every  necessary  they  thought  proper  to  de- 
mand ;  and,  as  their  will  was  then  the  only  law — 
and  a  very  imperious  and  tyrannical  law  it  was — the 
people  dare  not,  except  at  the  risk  of  their  lives, 
complain  of  any  outrage  or  brutality  of  which  their 
savage  disposition  prompted  them  to  be  guilty.  The 
inevitable  consequence  w^as,  that  such  horrid  acts 
were  perpetrated,  such  shocking  scenes  were  exhib- 
ited, as  must  rouse  the  indignation  and  provoke  the 
abhorrence  of  all  not  dead  to  humane  feeling,  or  not 
barbarized  by  unnatural  hatred  of  their  fellow-crea- 
tures ! 

At  this  period  of  confusion,  the  first  public  intima- 
tion of  disturbance  in  the  county  of  Wexford  was 
from  a  meeting  of  magistrates  held  at  Gorey,  on  the 
28th  of  November,  1797.  There  the  proclaiming 
of  sixteen  parishes  out  of  one  hundred  and  forty-two, 
of  which  the  county  consists,  was  voted  by  a  majori- 
ty, of  which  my  information  does  not  afford  me  the 
number;  but  the  measure  was  strongly  opposed  by 
eight  of  the  magistrates  present,  including  Lord 
Mountnorris,  who  must  be  naturally  supposed  to  feel 
substantial  reasons  for  his  opposition  to  have  the 
part  of  the  county  proclaimed  wherein  his  property 
principally  lay ;  and  it  is  to  be  fairly  presumed, 
(whatever  ground  may  be  had  by  some  reflecting 
people  for  thinking  otherwise,)  that  his  lordship  Avas 
not  influenced,  on  this  occasion  at  least,  by  motives 
of  opposition  to  Lord  Ely,  his  successful  rival  in  the 


IRISH  REBELLION.  101 

patronage  of  the  county.  Shortly  after  this  meeting 
at  Gorey,  I  spent  some  days  at  Camolin-park,  the 
seat  of  Lord  ^lountnorris,  while  he  was  sohciting 
the  people  from  parish  to  parish  to  take  the  oath  of 
allegiance.  His  lordship  requested  I  would  use 
what  influence  I  might  possess  with  the  priests  in 
my  neighborhood,  to  induce  them  and  their  flocks  to 
join  in  this  general  test  of  loyalty,  in  order,  as  he 
said,  to  put  the  Catholic  interest  in  the  county  of 
Wexford  on  the  most  respectable  footing  ;  suggest- 
ing at  the  same  lime,  that  from  his  "  great  conse- 
quence and  influence^  his  rejiresentation  of  facts 
?nust  counteract  and  outweigh  the  ?nisrepresentations 
of  others y  He  also  showed  me  the  oaths  he  usually 
administered  on  these  occasions,  and  which  he  stated 
himself  to  have  improved  from  time  to  time  by  sev- 
eral alterations ;  he  produced  one,  in  particular, 
which  he  conceived  to  be  wrought  up  to  the  highest 
perfection  of  loyalty.  Although  I  agreed  with  his 
lordship  so  far  as  really  to  think  the  county  was  then 
in.  a  state  of  perfect  peace  and  tranquillity,  (and 
therefore  thought  this  overweening  parade  unneces- 
sary,) yet  I  never  believed  him,  notwithstanding  all 
his  lordship's  strong  professions  to  that  effect,  a  sin- 
cere friend  to  Catholics  ;  I  was  rather  strongly  of 
opinion,  that  he  affected  a  show  of  concern  for  their 
interests  at  this  critical  period  in  mere  opposition  to 
the  noble  lord  his  competitor  for  influence. 

I  therefore  took  the  most  civil  means  in  my  power 
of  declining  the  interference  to  which  his  lordship 
would  have  directed  my  exertions.  Lord  Mount- 
norris,  however,  was  not  singular  in  courting  Catho- 
lic popularity  at  that  time,  for  all  the  newspapers 
of  the  day  teemed  with  addresses  from  the  Catholics 
throughout  the  island,  published,  not  at  the  desire  or 
at  the  expense  of  the  subscribefs,  but  by  the  political 
9* 


102  HISTORY  OF  TIIC 

manoeiivrcrs  who  took  the  trouble  of  procuring  them, 
to  answer  their  private  purposes,  by  playing  them  off 
against  the  schemes  of  other  opponents. 

Previous  to  the  spring  assizes  of  1798,  several 
prisoners  were  transmitted  from  Wexford  to  abide 
their  trials  at  Wicklow,  on  the  prosecution  of  an  in- 
former, whose  real  name  was  Morgan,  and  who  had 
been  transported  some  years  before  for  robber}^  but 
had  returned  to  the  country  under  the  assumed  name 
of  Cooper.  This  miscreant  was  encouraged  by 
some  magistrates  of  the  county  of  Wicklow,  to  swear 
informations  against  United  Irishmen  ;  and  this  he 
did  most  copiously.  On  producing  him,  however, 
at  Wicklow,  his  character  appeared  so  infamous,  that 
the  gentlemen  of  the  bar  were  unreserved  in  decla- 
ring that  the  baseness  of  such  a  nefarious  villain  re- 
flected not  a  little  on  those  magistrates  that  encour- 
aged him  to  come  forward.  All  the  prisoners  were 
consequently  acquitted,  and  it  was  therefore  not 
deemed  expedient  to  bring  him  on  to  prosecute  at 
Wexford,  where  there  were  also  some  prisoners  con- 
fined on  his  information. 

At  this  assizes,  also,  one  man  of  the  name  of  Col- 
lins, otherwise  M'Quillen,  was  brought  to  trial  for 
spreading  false  news  and  alarming  the  country  ;  it 
was  clearly  proved,  that  this  man  circulated  a  report 
of  the  arrival  of  the  French  off  Bantry,  and  that  the 
yeomen  or  Orangemen  (indifferently  supposed  by  the 
people  to  be  the  same)  were  to  march  to  resist  the 
invasion ;  and  that  it  w^as  designed  by  them  previ- 
ously to  commit  a  massacre  upon  the  Catholics  of 
the  country.  Such  implicit  belief  did  the  report  gain, 
that  every  person  from  Bray  to  Arklow,  between  four 
and  five  and  twenty  miles  extent,  abandoned  their 
habitations  and  slept  in  the  open  fields  ;  and  some 
women  were  even  delivered  in  that  exposed  condi- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  103 

tion.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  these  people  must 
have  from  some  previous  cause  been  led  to  form  so 
bad  an  opinion  of  their  neighbors,  when  they  gave 
credit  with  so  much  facility  to  these  reports. 

Several  had  been  confined  in  Wexford  as  United 
Irishmen,  to  be  prosecuted  by  an  informer  of  a  de- 
scription quite  different  from  that  of  the  Wrckjow 
ruffian.  The  name  of  this  second  informer  was  Jo- 
seph Murphy,  a  creature  of  such  idiot  aspect,  that  it 
was  impossible,  even  at  first  view,  not  to  conclude 
him  destitute  of  common  intellect,  so  that  it  appeared 
strange  that  any  magistrate  of  the  least  discrimina- 
tion could  venture  to  produce  him  :  yet,  this  was  the 
man  chosen  craftily  to  insinuate  himself  to  be  sworn 
a  United  Irishman,  and  then  to  develop  this  whole 
scheme  of  the  combination  to  a  magistrate  of  the 
county,  who  had  employed  him  for  that  purpose,  as 
he  afterwards  asserted  in  the  most  solemn  manner ; 
and  his  testimony  on  tlie  trial,  when  he  was  pro- 
duced as  an  informer,  sufficiently  warrants  this  con- 
fession. Only  one  trial  was  ventured  on  by  the 
crown-solicitor  at  the  prosecution  of  this  man,  and  on 
hearing  his  evidence  the  prisoner  was  instantly  ac- 
quitted, and  the  remainder  of  those  against  whom  he 
had  given  information  were  turned  out  of  the  dock, 
without  any  trial  whatever.  I  should  not  dwell  up- 
on these  apparently  trivial  circumstances,  but  that  tlie 
public  can  judge  of  the  truth  only  by  a  faithful  rela- 
tion of  facts  ;  and  these  facts  also  tend  to  prove  that 
the  system  of  the  United  Irishmen  had  not  diffused 
itself  through  the  county  of  Wexford  to  the  extent  so 
confidently  affirmed  by  an  author,  whose  veracity  in 
almost  every  other  instance  appears  equally  question- 
able. The  truth  is,  that  no  authentic  proof  existed 
at  the  time  to  support  these  arrogant  assertions  ;  and 
subsequent  information  confirms  how  little  the  coun- 


104  HISTORY  OF  THE 

ty  of  Wexford  was  concerned  in  that  conspiracy,  as 
no  return  appears  of  its  being  organized,  in  the  dis- 
coveries of  the  secret  committees  of  the  Houses  of 
Lords  and  Commons.  It  would  be  as  contrary  to 
truth,  however,  to  say  there  were  no  United  Irishmen 
in  the  county  of  Wexford  ;  but  by  every  statement 
worthy  of  credit,  that  has  ever  appeared,  their  num- 
bers were  comparatively  fewer  in  this  than  in  any 
other  county  in  Ireland  ;  and  such  as  were  of  that 
description  here  seem  to  have  been  privately  sworn 
in  the  detached  unconnected  manner  of  the  first  pro- 
gress of  that  business,  before  it  assumed  the  form  of 
regular  organization.  According  to  this  system,  now 
so  universally  known,  the  United  Irishmen  of  the 
county  of  Wexford,  considering  the  means  whereby 
those  were  urged  into  the  conspiracy,  do  not  appear 
to  come  strictly  under  that  denomination ;  for  their 
first  inducement  to  combine  was,  to  render  their  party 
strong  enough  to  resist  the  Orangemen,  whom  they 
actually  believed  to  be  associated  and  sworn  for  the 
extermination  of  the  Catholics,  and  "  to  wade  ankle 
deep  in  their  blood .'"  What  dreadful  notions  of  ter- 
ror and  alarm  must  have  filled  the  minds  of  people 
believing  themselves  thus  devoted  to  inevitable  de- 
struction !  so  strongly,  indeed,  was  it  endeavored  to 
impress  the  horrid  belief,  that  it  was  frequently  re- 
ported through  the  country,  that  the  Orangemen  were 
to  rise  in  the  night-time  to  murder  all  the  Catholics. 
Reports  of  an  opposite  kind  also  went  abroad,  as  it 
appears,  by  a  public  advertisement,  that  a  reward  of 
one  hundred  guineas  was  offered  by  the  Roman 
Catholic  inhabitants  of  the  neighborhood  of  Gorey,  for 
the  discovery  of  some  wicked  and  designing  persons 
who  had  circulated  a  malevolent  and  detestable  ru^- 
mor,  that  all  the  churches  were  to  be  attacked  on 
Sunday,  the  29th  of  April,  and  that  a  general  massa- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  105 

ere  of  the  Protestants  was  to  follow.  The  advertise- 
ment was  signed  by  the  priests  and  principal  inhabit- 
ants of  the  place,  with  Sir  Thomas  Esmonde,  Baro- 
net, at  their  head  ;  and  thus  did  the  Catholics  do  all 
in  their  power  to  satisfy  the  minds  of  their  Protest- 
ant brethren.  These  reports  certainly  occasioned  a 
great  deal  of  mischief  among  the  ignorant  and  unin- 
formed of  all  descriptions,  whose  minds  were  wrought 
vip  to  such  fury  and  animosity,  that  the  opposite  par- 
ties united  for  mutual  defence  and  hostility  to  their 
opponents. 

On  the  30th  of  March,  1798,  all  Ireland  was  put 
under  martial  law,  and  officially  declared  to  be  in  a 
state  of  rebellion  by  a  proclamation  from  the  lord 
lieutenant  and  privy  council  of  the  realm.  In  this 
proclamation  the  military  were  directed  to  use  the 
most  summary  method  of  repressing  disturbances. 

The  orange  system  made  no  public  appearance  in 
the  county  of  Wexford,  until  the  beginning  of  April, 
on  the  arrival  there  of  the  North  Cork  militia,  com- 
manded by  Lord  Kingsborough.  In  this  regiment 
there  were  a  great  number  of  Orangemen,  who  were 
zealous  in  making  proselytes,  and  displaying  their 
devices  ;  having  medals  and  orange  ribands  trium- 
phantly pendent  from  their  bosoms.  It  is  believed, 
that  previous  to  this  period  there  were  but  few  actual 
Orangemen  in  the  county ;  but  soon  after,  those  whose 
principles  inclined  that  way,  finding  themselves  sup- 
ported by  the  military,  joined  the  association,  and 
publicly  avowed  themselves,  by  assuming  the  devices 
of  the  fraternity. 

It  is  said,  that  the  North  Cork  regiment  were  also 
the  inventors — but  they  certainly  were  the  introdu- 
cers, of  pitch-cap  torture  into  the  county  of  Wexford. 
Any  person  having  his  hair  cut  short,  (and  there- 
fore called  a  croppy,  by  which  appellation  the  sol- 


106  HISTORY   OF  THE 

diery  designated  a  United  Irishman,  on  being  pointed 
out  by  some  loyal  neighbor,  was  immediately  seized 
and  brought  into  a  guard-liouse,  where  caps  either 
of  coarse  linen,  or  strong  brown  paper,  besmeared 
inside  with  pitch,  were  always  kept  ready  for  service. 
The  unfortunate  victim  had  one  of  these,  well  heated, 
compressed  on  his  head,  and  when  judged  of  a  pro- 
per degree  of  coolness,  so  tiiat  it  could  not  be  easily 
pulled  off,  the  sufferer  was  turned  out  amidst  the 
horrid  acclamations  of  the  merciless  torturers  ;  and 
to  the  view  of  vast  numbers  of  people,  who  generally 
crowded  about  the  guard-house  door,  attracted  by 
the  afflicted  cries  of  tlie  tormented.  Many  of  those 
persecuted  in  this  manner  experienced  additional  an- 
guish from  the  melted  pitch  trickling  into  their  eyes. 
This  afforded  a  rare  addition  of  enjoyment  to  these 
keen  sportsmen,  who  reiterated  their  horrid  yells  of 
exultation  on  the  repetition  of  the  several  accidents 
to  which  their  game  was  liable  upon  being  turned 
out ;  for  in  the  confusion  and  hurry  of  escapmg  from 
the  ferocious  hands  of  these  more  than  savage  bar- 
barians, the  blinded  victims  frequently  fell,  or  inad- 
vertently dashed  their  heads  against  the  walls  in  their 
w^ay.  The  pain  of  disengaging  this  pitched  cap  from 
the  head  must  be  next  to  intolerable.  The  hair  was 
often  torn  out  by  the  roots,  and  not  unfrequently  parts 
of  the  skin  were  so  scalded  or  blistered  as  to  adhere 
and  come  off  along  with  it.  The  terror  and  dismay 
that  these  outrages  occasioned  are  inconceivable.  A 
sergeant  of  the  North  Cork,  nicknamed  Tom  the  Devil y 
was  most  ingenious  in  devising  new  modes  of  torture. 
Moistened  gunpowder  was  frequently  rubbed  into 
the  hair  cut  close,  and  then  set  on  fire  ;  some,  while 
being  sheared  for  this  purpose,  had  the  tips  of  their 
ears  snipped  off;  sometimes  an  entire  ear,  and  often 
both  ears  were  completely  cut  off;  and  many  lost 


IRISH  REBELLION.  107 

part  of  their  noses  during  the  like  preparation.  But, 
strange  to  tell,  these  atrocities  were  publicly  prac- 
tised without  the  last  reserve  in  open  day,  and  no 
magistrate  or  officer  ever  interfered,  but  shamefully 
connived  at  this  extraordinary  mode  of  quieting  the 
people  !  Some  of  the  miserable  sufferers  on  these 
shocking  occasions,  or  some  of  their  relations  or 
friends,  actuated  by  a  principle  of  retaliation,  if  not 
of  revenge,  cut  short  the  hair  of  several  persons 
whom  they  either  considered  as  enemies,  or  suspect- 
ed of  having  pointed  them  out  as  objects  for  such 
desperate  treatment.  This  was  done  with  a  view 
that  those  active  citizens  should  fall  in  for  a  little  ex- 
perience of  the  like  discipline,  or  to  make  the  fash- 
ion of  short  hair  so  general  that  it  might  no  longer  be 
a  mark  of  party  distinction.  Females  were  also  ex- 
posed to  the  grossest  insults  from  these  military  ruf- 
iians.  Many  women  had  their  petticoats,  handker- 
chiefs, caps,  ribands,  and  all  parts  of  their  dress  that 
exhibited  a  shade  of  green  (considered  the  national 
color  of  Ireland)  torn  off,  and  their  ears  assailed  by 
the  most  vile  and  indecent  ribaldry.  This  was  a  cir- 
cumstance so  unforeseen,  and  of  course  so  little  pro- 
vided against,  that  many  women  of  enthusiastic  loy- 
alty suffered  outrage  in  this  manner.  Some  of  these 
ladies  would  not  on  any  account  have  worn  any  thing 
which  they  could  even  imagine  partook  in  any  degree 
of  croppyisni.  They  were,  however,  unwarily  in- 
volved, until  undeceived  by  these  gentle  hints  from 
these  kind  guardians  of  allegiance. 

Great  as  the  apprehensions  from  Orangemen  had 
been  before  among  the  people,  they  were  now  mul- 
tiplied tenfold,  and  aggravated  terror  led  them  in 
numbers  to  be  sworn  United  Irishmen,  in  order  to 
counteract  the  supposed  plan  of  their  rumored  ex- 
terminators.    The  fears  of  the  people  became  so 


108  HISTORY  OF  THE 

great  at  length,  that  they  forsook  their  houses  in  the 
night,  and  slept  (if  under  such  circumstances  they 
Could  sleep)  in  the  ditches.  These  facts  were  noto- 
rious at  the  time,  and  had  the  magistrates  and  gen- 
tlemen of  the  country  been  actuated  by  the  feelings 
that  humanity  naturally  excites  on  such  occasions, 
they  might,  with  very  little  trouble,  have  convinced 
the  deluded  populace  of  the  fallacy  of  such  reports, 
and  they  should  have  promised  them  public  protection. 
In  general,  however,  the  fact  was  otherwise.  The 
melancholy  situation  of  the  people  was  regarded 
with  the  utmost  indifference  ;  few  individuals  felt 
any  concern  or  gave  themselves  any  trouble  about 
what  they  thought ;  and  no  effort  whatever  was 
made  to  allay  their  apprehensions,  or  at  all  to  unde- 
ceive them.  Their  minds  were  left  to  the  operation 
of  their  fears,  to  dissipate  which  if  any  pains  had 
been  taken,  it  is  certain  that  these  horrid  conceptionii 
entertained  of  Orangemen  could  never  have  taken 
such  strong  hold  of  their  scared  imaginations,  and 
that  violence  would  have  been  repressed  in  its 
origin.  I  had  the  good  fortune  to  succeed  so  far,  in 
my  own  neighborhood,  as  to  induce  the  people  to 
remain  in  their  houses  at  night ;  and  the  trouble  it 
gave  me  to  effect  so  much  cannot  be  conceived 
without  actual  experience.  I  was  much  amazed  to 
find  that  this  notion  was  so  firmly  entertained  by 
some  people  of  respectability,  that  I  believe  myself 
lo  have  been  the  only  person  that  slept  in  a  house 
wherein  I  was  on  a  visit.  The  fears  of  the  family- 
had  been  so  great,  that  they  had  formed  a  plan  of 
escape,  in  case  of  any  attempt  by  the  Orangemen  to 
murder  them  in  the  night,  and  with  this  plan  I  was 
made  acquainted  the  next  morning.  I  endeavored 
to  inculcate  my  own  fixed  opinion  of  the  impossi- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  109 

bility  of  a  Christian  harboring  the  thought  of  putting 
to  death  an  unoffending  fellow-creature.  The  dis- 
position is  too  shocking  for  any  Christian  to  cherish 
against  another ;  but  more  especially  so  for  a  Chris- 
tian boasting  that  of  all  persuasions  his  own  disposes 
most  to  liberality.  I  rejected  the  odious,  infernal 
thought  with  abhorrence,  and  railed  at*the  weakness 
that  would  give  it  a  moment's  reception  in  the  mind; 
and  I  succeeded  in  dispelling  the  fears  of  some  of 
my  friends. 

The  minds  of  the  people  being  thus  greatly  irri- 
tated, (particularly  by  the  impunity  of  the  acts  of 
outrage  already  related,)  and  their  alarms  having 
made  them  abandon  their  houses  at  night,  they  col- 
lected in  great  numbers  in  their  lurking-places. 
Measures  of  self-defence  were  naturally  suggested 
in  consequence  of  their  apprehensions,  and  they  were 
readily  led  to  adopt  the  means  that  were  deemed  best 
calculated  to  ensure  security.  The  United  Irishmen 
eagerly  advanced  the  arguments  most  likely  to  in- 
duce the  body  of  the  people  to  embrace  their 
system,  and  they  met  with  powerful  support  and  co- 
operation from  those  of  the  opposite  faction  ;  whose 
violent  conduct  and  zealous  persecutions  proved 
more  efficacious  in  urging  on  the  people,  than  any 
allurements  whatsoever.  Men  thus  desperately  cir- 
cumstanced uphold  and  stimulate  each  other's  con- 
fidence, and  all  consideration  of  the  weakness  of 
individual  exertion  is  removed  by  a  reliance  on  col- 
lective force.  In  this  state  man  is  no  longer  con- 
nected in  the  way  of  civil  society,  but  finds  himself 
surrounded  by  one  convulsed  and  half  dissolved, 
and  a  fever  of  the  mind  ensues  that  banishes  all  idea 
of  calm  circumspection.  A  soul  thus  impressed 
cannot  abide  in  solitude,  and  is  therefore  led  by  ir- 
10 


110  HISTORY  OF  THE 

resistible  impulse  to  adopt  any  plausible  project  that 
holds  out  additional  means  of  preservation,  protec- 
tion, or  defence. 

On  the  25l}i  day  of  April,  1798,  an  assembly  of 
twenty-seven  magistrates  was  held  at  Gorey,  where 
it  was  resolved,  that  the  whole  county  of  Wexford 
should  be  foTthw^lh  proclaimed ;  and  this  accord- 
ingly took  place  on  the  27th.  From  this  period 
forward,  many  magistrates  of  the  county  made 
themselves  conspicuous  in  practising  the  summary 
mode  of  quieting  the  country,  by  the  infliction  of  all 
kinds  of  torture.  They  seem,  indeed,  to  have 
emulated,  or  rather  rivalled,  the  conduct  of  the 
magistrates  of  other  counties,  who  had  made  trial 
of  the  salutary  effects  of  persecution  somewhat 
sooner.  In  the  several  neighborhoods  of  Ross,  En- 
niscorthy,  and  Gorey,  the  people  suffered  most,  as 
in  each  of  these  towns  a  magistrate  started  up,  eager 
for  the  glorious  distinction  of  outstripping  all  others, 
each  by  his  owm  superior  deeds  of  death,  deflagra- 
tion, and  torture  !  But  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  none 
of  these  men  had  ever  before  possessed  either 
talents  or  respectability  sufficient  to  entitle  him  to 
take  a  leading  part ;  yet,  if  burning  houses,  whip- 
ping and  half-hanging  numbers,  hanging  some  all 
out,  and  shooting  others,  with  attendant  atrocities, 
constitute  the  characteristic  of  loyal  and  good 
magistrates,  they  must  be  allowed  strong  claims  to 
eminence.  In  the  mean  time  it  must  be  observed, 
also,  that  such  proceedings,  however  sanctioned,  are 
contrary  to  the  spirit  of  the  constitution,  a  principal 
part  of  the  excellence  of  which  is  the  exclusion  of 
all  torture.  In  all  the  riots  and  disturbances  that 
took  place  in  England,  does  it  appear,  in  any  one 
instance,  that  an  infliction  of  torture  was  ever  at- 
tempted ?     Yet  have  we  heard  of  associations  there, 


IRISH  REBELLION.  Ill 

as  alarming  in  iheir  tendency  as  any  that  can  be  im- 
puted to  United  Irishmen,  although  no  one  has  been 
found  possessed  of  sufficient  hardihood  there  to  try 
this  desperate  experiment.  Would  the  most  power- 
ful, the  richest,  or  the  most  violent  man  in  England 
be  hazardous  enough  to  treat  the  meanest  subject 
with  the  barbarous  severity  practised,  in  numberless 
instances,  on  respectable  as  well  as  humble  individ- 
uals in  Ireland  ?  The  attempt  would  be  too  danger- 
ous. I  apprehend  the  result  would  prove,  that  the 
people  would  rise  in  a  mass  in  resistance  to  such 
oppressive  treatment ;  and  it  is  submitted  to  the  de- 
termination of  the  candid  and  impartial,  if  the  feel- 
ings of  the  people  of  England  would  not  yield  to 
such  tyranny  without  meeting  it  with  the  most 
violent  opposition,  whether  it  be  not  natural  to  sup- 
pose, that  it  must  have  roused  the  resentments  of 
the  people  of  Ireland?  I  am  firmly  persuaded,  that 
the  conduct  ^of  the  magistrates  before  alluded  to, 
(and  of  some  others  not  entitled  to  quite  such  re- 
nown in  this  cause,)  supported  by  the  yeomen  under 
their  control,  together  with  the  co-operation  of  the 
military,  occasioned,  or  rather  forced,  the  rising  of 
the  people  in  the  county  of  Wexford.  While  I  en- 
deavor to  establish  the  truth  of  this  assertion,  I  beg 
the  reader's  attention  to  the  particular  dates  of  the 
several  outrages,  and  of  the  respective  periods  at 
which  different  parts  of  the  county  joined  the  insur- 
gents, as  it  will  be  necessary  to  take  them  in  regular 
order,  to  form  an  adequate  and  impartial  opinion. 
The  proclamation  of  the  county  of  Wexford  having 
given  greater  scope  to  the  ingenuity  of  magistrates 
to  devise  means  of  quelling  ail  symptoms  of  rebel- 
lion, as  well  as  of  using  every  exertion  to  procure 
discoveries,  they  soon  fell  to  burning  of  houses 
wherein  pikes  or  other  offensive  weapons  were  dis- 


112  HISTORY  OF  THE 

covered,  no  matter  how  brought  there.  But  they 
did  not  stop  here,  for  the  dwelHngs  of  suspected 
persons,  and  those  from  which  any  of  the  inhabitants 
were  found  to  be  absent  at  night,  were  also  con- 
sumed. This  circumstance  of  absence  from  the 
houses  very  generally  prevailed  through  the  country, 
although  there  were  the  strictest  orders  forbidding 
it.  This  was  occasioned  at  first,  as  was  before  ob- 
served, from  apprehension  of  the  Orangemen,  but 
afterwards  proceeded  from  the  actual  experience  of 
torture,  by  the  people,  from  the  yeomen  and  magis- 
trates. Some,  too,  abandoned  their  homes  for  fear 
of  being  whipped,  if,  on  being  apprehended,  confes- 
sions satisfactory  to  the  magistrates  could  either  be 
given  or  extorted  ;  and  this  infliction  many  persons 
seemed  to  fear  more  than  death  itself.  Many  un- 
fortunate men,  who  were  taken  in  their  own  houses, 
were  strung  up,  as  it  were  to  be  hanged,  but  were 
let  down  now  and  then  to  try  if  strangulation  would 
oblige  them  to  become  informers.  After  these  and 
the  like  experiments,  several  persons  languished  for 
some  time,  and  at  length  perished  in  consequence 
of  them.  Smiths  and  carpenters,  whose  assistance 
was  considered  indispensable  in  the  fabrication  of 
pikes,  were  pointed  out,  on  evidence  of  their  trades, 
as  the  first  and  fittest  objects  of  torture.  But  the 
sagacity  of  some  magistrates  became  at  length  so 
acute,  from  habit  and  exercise,  that  they  discerned 
a  United  Irishman,  even  at  the  first  glance  !  And 
their  zeal  never  suffered  any  person  whom  they 
deigned  to  honor  with  such  distinction,  to  pass  off 
without  convincing  proof  of  their  attention.  The 
two  following  instances  are  selected  from  "  An  Ac- 
count of  the  Late  Rebellion,"  by  Mr.  Alexander,  a 
Protestant  inhabitant  of  Ross,  who  keeps  an 
academy  in  that  town — 


IRISH  REBELLION.  113 

*  I  now  heard  of  many  punishments  of  suspected 
persons,  both  by  flogging  and  strangulation,  being 
put  into  execution  in  the  barrack-yard,  (in  Ross,)  to 
extort  confession  of  guilt.  There  were  two  of  these 
victims  brought  from  the  barrack  to  the  court-house 
to  undergo  a  repetition  of  former  punishments.  One 
of  them,  of  the  name  of  Driscol,  was  found  in  Cam- 
lin  Wood,  near  Ross,  where  he  said  he  generally 
wandered  as  a  hermit.  Upon  him  were  found  two 
Roman  Catholic  prayer-books,  with  which  it  is  sup- 
posed he  administered  oaths  of  disloyalty.  He  had 
been  strangled  three  times  and  flogged  four  times 
during  confinement,  but  to  no  purpose  !  His  fellow- 
suflferer  was  one  Fitzpatrick  of  Dunganstown,  near 
Sutton's  parish.  This  man  had  been  a  Newfound- 
land sailor,  but  long  utterly  disqualified  to  follow 
that  occupation,  by  reason  of  an  inveterate  scurvy  in 
his  legs.  He  therefore  commenced  abecedarian, 
near  Sutton's  parish.  It  happened  that  a  magistrate 
who  was  a  yeoman,  and  others  of  his  corps,  passed 
by  his  noisy  mansion,  which  was  no  other  than  a 
little  thatched  stable,  that,  like  a  beehive,  proclaimed 
the  history  of  its  inhabitants.  The  magistrate  enter- 
ed, followed  by  the  other  yeomen.  *  Here  is  a  man,' 
says  the  magistrate,  speaking  of  the  master,  as  I  shall 
call  him,  though  his  authority  was  now  for  some 
months  to  have  an  end — and  a  severe  vacation  it  was 
— *  Here  is  a  man  who,  I  presume,  can  have  no  ob- 
jection to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance.  What  do  you 
say,  Mr.  Teacher  V — '  O  dar  a  leoursa,^  {i.  e.  by 
this  book,)  *  1  will  take  it,  sir,  and  thank  you  for 
bringing  it  to  me.'  So  saying,  he  took  the  book, 
which  the  magistrate  held  forth,  and  not  only  took 
the  oath  with  the  most  cordial  emphasis,  but  added 
another  expressive  of  his  loyalty  at  all  times.  Upon 
this,  the  magistrate  regarded  his  companions  with  a 
10* 


114  HISTORY  OF  THE 

look  of  dry  humor,  arid  observed,  that  this  must  he  a 
loyal  man  indeed.     '  Well,  then,  my  loyal  friend,  I 
suppose  you  will  readily  swear  to  all  the  pikes,  and 
to  the  ow^ners  and  possessors  of  them,  of  which  you 
have  any  knowledge  ?'     The  man  swore  he  had  no 
certain  knowledge   of  the   kind  ;  and  that  he  never 
saw  a  rebel's  pike  in  his  life,  or  a  pike  of  any  kind 
since   the   rebellion.     '  Then,'   says  the  magistrate, 
'  you  shall  swear  that  you  will,  to  the  utmost  of  your 
future  knowledge  or  information  this  way,  give,  in  the 
best  manner  you  can,  all  such  information  to  a  lawful 
magistrate,  or  other  officer  in  his  majesty's  service.' 
'  No,  sir,'  answered  Fitzpatrick,  '  I  will  not  swear 
that :   I  will  bring  no  man's  blood  on  my  head  ;  and 
if  I  do  inform,  who  will  support  and  protect  me  when 
I  have  lost  all  my  scholars,  and  my  neighbors  turn 
upon  me  ?'     Upon  this  he  was  immediately  appre- 
hended and  escorted  to  Ross  ;  he  was  not  strangled, 
however,  but  flogged  with  great  severity  ;  and  it  was 
not  with  dry  eyes  that  I  saw  the  punishment  inflicted 
on  this  humble  pioneer  of  literature.     About  a  month 
after  the  battle,  both  these  men  w^ere  tried  before 
General  Cowley,  and  matters  appearing  no  further 
against  them  than  I  have  stated,  they  were  liberated 
from  a  close  and  filthy  confinement.     The  general 
presented  both  with  a  small  sum  of  money,  express- 
ing a  good-natured  concern,  that  he  could  not  then 
give   them  any   greater  pecuniary    assistance.     He 
also  gave  them  written  protections,  expressive  of  his 
opinion  of  their  being  peaceably  disposed.     I  never 
once  heard  an  authentic  account  of  any  immediate 
good  effect  produced  by  these  punishments.     How- 
ever, it  is  most  certain,  that  the  severities  in  general 
served  to  accelerate  the  rebellion,  and  thereby,  very 
considerably,  to  weaken  its  progress."* 

*  See  Alexander's  account  of  the  rebellion,  pages  28,  29 


IRISH  REBELLION.  115 

Many  innocent  men  were  thus  taken  up  while 
peaceably  engaged  in  their  own  private  concerns, 
walking  along  the  road,  or  passing  through  the  mar- 
ket in  the  several  towns,  without  any  previous  accu- 
sation, but  in  consequence  of  military  whim,  or  the 
caprice  of  magisterial  loyalty ;  and  those  who  had 
been  at  market,  and  were  passed  by  unnoticed,  had 
the  news  of  a  public  exhibition  to  bring  home  ;  for 
the  unfortunate  victims  thus  seized  upon,  were  in- 
stantly subjected,  at  least,  to  the  torture  of  public 
whipping.  People  of  timid  dispositions,  therefore, 
avoided  going  to  market,  fearing  that  they  might  be 
forced  to  display  the  like  spectacle.  Provisions  of 
course  became  dear,  for  want  of  the  usual  supply  in 
the  market-towns  ;  and  the  military,  to  redress  this 
evil,  went  out  into  the  country  and  brought  in  what 
they  wanted,  at  what  price  they  pleased,  the  owners 
thinking  themselves  well  treated  if  they  got  but  half 
the  value  of  their  goods  ;  and  in  case  of  a  second 
visit,  happy  if  they  escaped  unhurt,  which,  however, 
was  not  always  the  case  ;  and  thus  were  the  minds 
of  the  people  brought  to  admit  such  powerful  im- 
pressions of  terror,  that  death  itself  was  sometimes 
the  consequence.  The  following  is  a  strong  instance 
of  this  melancholy  fact,  related  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Gordon  : 

"  Whether  an  insurrection  in  the  then  existing 
state  of  the  kingdom,  w^ould  have  taken  place  in  the 
county  of  Wexford,  or,  in  case  of  its  eruption,  how 
far  less  formidable  and  sanguinary  it  would  have 
been,  if  no  acts  of  seveiity  had  been  committed  by 
the  soldiery,  the  yeomen,  or  their  supplementary  as- 
sociates, without  the  direct  authority  of  their  supe- 
riors, or  command  of  the  magistrate,  is  a  question 
which  I  am  not  able  positively  to  answer.  In  the 
neighborhood  of  Gorey,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  the 


116  HISTORY  OF  THE 

terror  of  the  whippings  was  in  particular  so  great, 
that  the  people  would  have  been  extremely  glad  to 
renounce  forever  all  notions  of  opposition  to  govern- 
ment, if  they  could  have  been  assured  of  permission 
to  remain  in  a  state  of  quietness.  As  an  instance  of 
this  terror,  I  shall  relate  the  following  fact :  On  the 
morning  of  the  23d  of  May,  a  laboring  man,  named 
Denis  M 'Daniel,  came  to  my  house  with  looks  of  the 
utmost  consternation  and  dismay,  and  confessed  to 
me  that  he  had  taken  the  United  Irishman's  oath, 
and  had  paid  for  a  pike,  with  which  he  had  not  yet 
been  furnished,  nineteen-pence-halfpenny,  to  one 
Killy,  a  smith,  who  had  administered  the  oath  to  him 
and  many  others.  While  I  sent  my  eldest  son,  who 
was  a  lieutenant  of  yeomanry,  to  arrest  Kilty,  I  ex- 
horted M'Daniel  to  surrender  himself  to  a  magis- 
trate, and  make  his  confession ;  but  this  he  positively 
refused,  saying  that  he  should,  in  that  case,  be  lashed 
to  make  him  produce  a  pike,  w'hich  he  had  not,  and 
to  confess  what  he  knew  not.  I  then  advised  him, 
as  the  only  alternative,  to  remain  quietly  at  home, 
promising  that  if  he  should  be  arrested  on  the  infor- 
mation of  others,  I  would  represent  his  case  to  the 
magistrates.  He  took  my  advice,  but  the  fear  of 
arrest  and  lashing  had  so  taken  possession  of  his 
thoughts,  that  he  could  neither  eat  nor  sleep ;  and 
on  the  morning  of  the  25th  he  fell  on  his  face  and 
expired  in  a  little  grove  near  my  house."* 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Gordon,  from  whose  history  I  have 
quoted  the  foregoing  narrative,  is  a  clergyman  of  the 
Established  Church,  who, resided  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Gorey,  as  a  curate,  for  twenty-three  years ; 
and  as  he  was  an  eye-witness,  his  relation  of  the 
fact  deserves  the  utmost  credit.     He  had  every  op- 

»  See  Gordon's  History  of  the  Irish  Rebellion,  pp.  87, 8a 


IRISH  REBELLION.  llV 

portunity  of  watching  the  approach  of  the  insurrec- 
tion, and  I  sincerely  wish  there  were  many  hke  him 
possessed  of  Hberal  sentiments  and  benevolent  feel- 
ings for  the  delusions  and  sufferings  of  the  people. 
With  regard  to  his  opinion,  that  they  would  remain 
quiet  in  the  neighborhood  of  Gorey,  if  they  were 
certain  of  being  left  in  peace  at  home,  I  perfectly 
coincide  with  him  ;  and  I  can  confidently  assert  the 
same  of  the  neighborhood  in  which  I  resided.  It 
was  not  possible  that  the  convulsed  state  of  the 
country  could  escape  the  observation  of  any  humane 
or  intelligent  person  :  an  inquiry  into  the  cause 
would  naturally  succeed  such  notice,  and  the  result 
must  be  the  consequent  conviction  of  this  truth.  I 
have  also  reason  to  believe,  that  such  was  the  dis- 
position throughout  the  whole  county,  as  I  have 
heard  several  respectable  magistrates  and  other  per- 
sons of  veracity  from  various  parts  of  it  express  the 
same  sentiment ;  and,  as  each  individual  was  un- 
doubtedly the  best  judge  in  his  own  neighborhood 
of  the  conduct  of  the  inhabitants,  the  inference  to  be 
collected  from  these  several  uniform  statements  must 
be  conclusive  evidence  for  the  establishment  of  a 
fact,  to  which  subsequent  events  afford  a  strong  cor- 
roboration. 

While  the  minds  of  the  people  were  in  this  state 
of  distraction  and  alarm,  numbers,  condemned  to 
transportation  by  the  magistrates  of  other  counties, 
daily  passed  through  the  county  of  Wexford  on  their 
way  to  Duncannon  fort.  Groups  of  from  twelve  to 
fifteen  carloads  at  a  time  have  gone  through  Ross 
alone.  These  terrifying  examples  added  if  possible 
to  the  apprehensions  already  entertained,  and  the 
precedent  was  soon  after  put  in  practice  in  the  coun- 
ty of  Wexford  itself. 

Great  as  the  atrocities  already  related  may  appear, 


118  HISTORY  OF  THE 

(and  surely  they  are  very  deplorable,),  enormities 
still  more  shocking  to  humanity  remained  to  be  per- 
petrated. However  grating  to  generous  and  benev- 
olent feeling  the  sad  detail  must  prove,  imperious 
truth  imposes  the  irksome  necessity  of  proceeding 
to  facts. 

Mr.  Hunter  Gowan  had  for  many  years  distin- 
guished himself  by  his  activity  in  apprehending  rob- 
bers, for  which  he  was  rewarded  with  a  pension  of 
£100  per  annum,  and  it  were  much  to  be  wished 
that  every  one  who  has  obtained  a  pension  had  as 
well  deserved  it.  Now  exalted  to  the  rank  of  magis- 
trate, and  promoted  to  be  captain  of  a  corps  of  yeo- 
men, he  was  zealous  in  exertions  to  inspire  the  peo- 
ple about  Gorey  with  dutiful  submission  to  the 
magistracy,  and  a  respectful  awe  of  the  yeomanry. 
On  a  public  day  in  the  w^eek  preceding  the  insurrec- 
tion, the  town  of  Gorey  beheld  the  triumphal  entry 
of  Mr.  Gowan  at  the  head  of  his  corps,  with  his 
sword  drawn,  and  a  human  finger  stuck  on  the  point 
of  it. 

With  this  trophy  he  marched  into  the  tow^n,  para- 
ding up  and  down  the  streets  several  times,  so  that 
there  was  not  a  person  in  Gorey  w^ho  did  not  wit- 
ness this  exhibition ;  while  in  the  mean  time  the  tri- 
umphant corps  displayed  all  the  devices  of  Orange- 
men. After  the  labor  and  fatigue  of  the  day,  Mr. 
Gowan  and  his  men  retired  to  a  public-house  to  re- 
fresh themselves,  and,  like  true  blades  of  game,  their 
punch  was  stirred  about  wuth  the  finger  that  had 
graced  their  ovation,  in  imitation  of  keen  fox-hunt- 
ers, who  whisk  a  bowl  of  punch  with  the  brush  of  a 
fox  before  their  boozing  commences.  This  captain 
and  magistrate  afterwards  went  to  the  house  of  Mr. 
Jones,  where  his  daughters  were  ;  and,  while  taking 
a  snack  that  was  set  before  him,  he  bragged  of  hav 


IRISH  REBELLION.  119 

ing  blooded  his  corps  that  day,  and  that  they  were 
as  stanch  bloodhounds  as  any  in  the  world.  The 
daughters  begged  of  their  father  to  show  them  the 
croppy  finger,  which  he  deliberately  took  from  his 
pocket  and  handed  to  them.  Misses  dandled  it 
about  with  senseless  exultation,  at  which  a  young 
lady  in  the  room  was  so  shocked  that  she  turned 
about  to  a  window,  holding  her  hand  to  her  face  to 
avoid  the  horrid  sight.  Mr.  Gowan  perceiving  this, 
took  the  finger  from  his  daughters,  and  archly  drop- 
ped it  into  the  disgusted  lady's  bosom.  She  instantly 
fainted,  and  thus  the  scene  ended  !  !  !  Mr.  Gowan 
constantly  boasted  of  this  and  other  similar  heroic 
actions,  which  he  repeated  in  the  presence  of  Brigade- 
major  Fitzgerald,  on  whom  he  had  waited  officially ; 
but,  so  far  from  meeting  with  his  wonted  applause, 
the  major  obliged  him  instantly  to  leave  the  com- 
pany. 

Enniscorthy  and  its  neighborhood  were  similarly 
protected  by  the  activity  of  Archibald  Hamilton  Ja- 
cob, aided  by  the  yeomen  cavalry,  thoroughly  equip- 
ped for  this  kind  of  service.  They  scoured  the 
country,  having  in  their  train  a  regular  executioner, 
completely  appointed  with  his  implements — a  hang- 
ing rope  and  a  cal-o'-nine-tails.  Many  detections 
and  consequent  prosecutions  of  United  Irishmen  soon 
followed.  A  law  had  been  recently  enacted,  that 
magistrates  upon  their  own  authority  could  sentence 
to  transportation  persons  accused  and  convicted  be- 
fore them.  Great  numbers  were  accordingly  taken 
up,  prosecuted,  and  condemned.  Some,  however, 
appealed  to  an  adjournment  of  a  quarter-session  held 
in  Wexford,  on  the  23d  of  May,  in  the  county  court- 
house ;  at  which  three  and  twenty  magistrates  from 
different  parts  of  the  county  attended.  Here  all  the 
private  sentences  were  confirmed,  except  that  of  one 


120  HISTORY  OF  THE 

man  who  was  brought  in  on  horseback  that  morning, 
carr^'ing  a  pike  with  a  handle  of  enormous  length 
through  Wexford  town,  on  his  way  to  the  jail.  This 
exhibition  procured  him  the  reversion  of  his  sentence, 
at  the  instance  of  the  very  magistrates  who  had  con- 
demned him.  In  the  course  of  the  trials  on  these 
appeals  in  the  public  court-house  of  Wexford,  Mr. 
A.  H.  Jacob  appeared  as  evidence  against  the  prison- 
ers, and  publicly  avowed  the  happy  discoveries  he 
had  made  in  consequence  of  inflicting  the  torture  : 
many  instances  of  whipping  and  strangulation  he 
particularly  detailed  with  a  degree  of  self-approba- 
tion and  complacency,  that  clearly  demonstrated  how 
highly  he  was  pleased  to  rate  the  merits  of  his  own 
great  and  loyal  services. 

From  the  construction  of  the  new  law  regarding 
the  discretionary  power  of  magistrates,  the  ratifica- 
tion of  these  sentences  did  not  surprise  me,  except 
in  two  instances,  at  the  discussion  of  which  I  was 
actually  present.  One  was  that  of  a  Roman  Catholic 
priest  of  the  name  of  Dixon,  taken  up  shortly  before 
by  Captain  Boyd,  on  the  information  of  a  gardener, 
who  averred  he  had  been  in  Wexford  on  a  market- 
day,  in  a  public-house,  where  he  met  with  the  priest, 
who  spent  a  considerable  time,  he  said,  to  induce 
him  to  become  a  United  Irishman  ;  very  plausibly 
relating  a  train  of  circumstances  tending  to  that  ef- 
fect. In  contradiction  to  this  man's  testimony,  there 
appeared  three  credible  witnesses,  describing  the 
situation  of  the  house  and  the  several  companies 
there  assembled  at  the  time  specified  ;  by  which  it 
was  manifest,  that  the  particulars  stated  by  the  pros- 
ecutor were  utterly  unfounded,  as  they  could  not 
possibly  have  taken  place  without  their  knowledge. 
The  other  was  that  of  a  man  named  William  Gra- 
ham,  servant   to   Lieutenant  Joseph  Gray,    of  the 


IRISH  REBELLION.  121 

Wexford  yeomen  cavalry.  He  was  taken  up  for  be- 
ing out  of  his  master's  house  at  eleven  o'clock  at 
night,  and  was  supposed  to  be  a  United  Irishman. 
His  defence  was  a  good  character  given  him  by  dif- 
ferent gentlemen,  and  that  although  the  general  pro- 
clamation of  the  county  prohibited  all  persons  from 
being  out  of  their  dwellings  at  night,  yet  from  the 
peaceable  demeanor  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town 
of  Wexford,  so  rigorous  and  strict  an  adherence  to 
its  literal  tenor  had  not  been  insisted  on  in  any  one 
instance  but  against  him.  However,  the  alleged  ne- 
cessity of  public  example  was  a  sufficient  excuse 
with  the  majority  of  the  magistrates  to  condemn 
these  men  to  transportation. 

The  magistrates,  after  this  public  discussion,  re- 
tired to  the  grand -jury  room  to  deliberate,  from 
w^hence  the  following  public  notice  w^as  issued, 
printed,  and  distributed  through  the  county — 

"  Notice. 

"  We,  the  high  sheriff  and  magistrates  of  the 
county  of  Wexford,  assembled  at  sessions  held  at 
the  county  court-house  in  Wexford,  this  23d  day  of 
May,  1798,  have  received  the  most  clear  and  un- 
equivocal evidence,  private  as  well  as  public,  that 
the  system  and  plans  of  those  deluded  persons  who 
style  themselves,  and  are  commonly  known  by  the 
name  of  United  Irishmen,  have  been  generally 
adopted  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  several  parishes  in 
this  county,  w4io  have  provided  themselves  with 
pikes,  and  other  arms,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying 
their  plans  into  execution  ;  and  whereas  we  have 
received  information,  that  the  inhabitants  of  some 
parts  of  this  county  have,  within  these  few  days 
past,  returned  to  their  allegiance,  surrendering  their 
arms,  and  confessing  the  errors  of  their  past  mis- 
11 


122  HISTORY  OF  THE 

conduct.  Now  we,  the  high  sheriff  and  magistrates, 
assembled  as  aforesaid,  do  give  this  public  notice, 
that  if  within  the  space  of  fourteen  days  from,  the 
date  hereof,  the  inhabitants  of  the  other  parts  of  this 
county  do  not  come  in  to  some  of  the  magistrates  of 
this  county,  and  surrender  their  arms  or  other  offen- 
sive weapons,  concealed  or  otherwise,  and  give  such 
proof  of  their  return  to  their  allegiance  as  shall  ap- 
pear sufficient,  an  application  will  be  made  to 
government  to  send  the  army,  at  free  quarters,  into 
such  parishes  as  shall  fail  to  comply,  to  enforce  due 
obedience  to  this  notice. 

Edward  Percival,  sheriff,  Edward  D'Arcy, 

Courtown,  John  Heatly, 

John  Henry  Lyster,  John  Grocran, 

James  Boyd,  Archibald  Jacob, 

George  Le-Hunte,  Edward  Turner, 

Thomas  Handcock,  Isaac  Comock, 

John  James,  CorneHus  Grogan, 

John  Pounden,  Francis  Turner, 

Hawtrey  White,  William  Toole, 

James  White,  Richard  Newton  King, 

Ebenezer  Jacob,  Charles  Vero. 
William  Hore, 

"  Resolved  unanimously,  That  the  thanks  of  this 
meeting  be  given  to  Archibald  Jacob,  Esq.,  for  his 
manly,  spirited,  active,  and  efficacious  exertions  as 
a  magistrate  for  the  establishment  and  preservation 
of  the  public  peace." 

I  have  heard  some  of  these  very  magistrates  give 
opinions  so  totally  contrary  to  what  is  publicly  de- 
clared in  this  resohition  of  thanks,  that  it  is  with  the 
utmost  surprise  I  saw  their  names  annexed  to  a 
document,  whereby  they  publicly  approved  of  con- 
duct whereof  in  private  they  expressed  the  strongest 
detestation.    But  it  often  happens  that  well-disposed 


IRISH  REBELLION.  123 

men  are  led  thus  to  sanction  proceedings  they  abhor; 
not  possessing  sufficient  firmness  of  mind  to  main- 
tain their  own  sentiments,  and  fearing  that  their 
humanity  should  appear  to  derogate  in  any  degree 
from  their  loyalty.  It  is  remarkable,  that  on  this 
very  day  the  rebellion  broke  out  in  the  county  of 
Kildare,  the  news  of  which,  running  as  it  w^ere  with 
the  wind,  quickly  reached  the  county  of  Wexford. 
The  people  in  this  county,  however,  who  were  pos- 
sessed of  pikes,  or  other  arms,  were  continually 
crowding  in  to  the  different  magistrates  throughout 
the  whole  county,  for  tlie  purpose  of  surrendering 
them,  conformable  to  the  notice  before  mentioned; 
and  following  the  like  example  set  them  by  the 
county  of  Wicklow,  where  it  appears  there  had 
been  leaders  (afterwards  imprisoned)  who  made  dis- 
coveries which  led  the  public  to  believe  that  all  idea 
of  a  rising  was  at  that  time  given  up. 

As  this  notice  specified  that  there  were  fourteen 
days  allowed  for  the  return  of  the  people  to  their 
allegiance,  it  was  reasonably  concluded  the  protec- 
tion of  such  as  would  submit  within  that  time  was 
guarantied  by  the  magistrates  who  had  signed  it ; 
and  it  was  also  natural  to  imply,  that  all  measures 
would  cease,  during  that  interval,  which  might  tend 
in  any  degree  to  subvert  the  peaceable  intentions  of 
the  people.  Would  to  God  that  even  at  this  pe- 
riod the  spirit  of  this  publication  had  been  adhered 
to  !  for,  in  such  an  event,  it  is  very  probable  that  the 
county  of  Wexford  would  have  escaped  the  dreadful 
misfortune  of  open  insurrection.  In  Enniscorthy, 
Ross,  and  Gorey,  several  persons  were  not  only  put 
to  the  torture  in  the  usual  manner,  but  a  greater 
number  of  houses  were  burnt,  and  measures  of  the 
strongest  coercion  were  practised,  although  the  peo- 
ple continued  to  flock  in  to  the  different  magistrates 


124  HISTORY  OF  THE 

for  protections.  Mr.  Perry,  of  Inch,  a  Protestant 
gentleman,  was  seized  on  and  brought  a  prisoner  to 
Gorey,  guarded  by  the  North  Cork  mihtia ;  one  of 
whom — the  noted  sergeant  nicknamed  Tom  the  Dev- 
il— gave  him  woful  experience  of  his  ingenuity  and 
adroitness  at  devising  torment.  As  a  specimen  of 
his  savoir  faire,  he  cut  off  the  hair  of  his  head  very 
closely,  cut  the  sign  of  the  cross  from  the  front  to 
the  back,  and  transversely  from  ear  to  ear,  still 
closer ;  and,  probably  a  pitched  cap  not  being  in 
readiness,  gunpowder  was  mixed  through  the  hair, 
which  was  then  set  on  fire,  and  the  shocking  process 
repealed  until  every  atom  of  hair  that  remained 
could  be  easily  pulled  out  by  the  roots  ;  and  still  a 
burning  candle  was  continually  applied,  until  the  en- 
tire was  completely  singed  away,  and  the  head  left 
totally  and  miserably  blistered  !  At  Carnew  things 
were  carried  to  still  greater  length  ;  for,  independent 
of  burning,  whipping,  and  torture  in  all  shapes,  on 
Friday,  the  25th  of  May,  twenty-eight  prisoners 
were  brought  out  of  the  place  of  confinement,  and 
deliberately  shot  in  a  ball-alley,  by  the  yeomen,  and 
a  party  of  the  Antrim  militia  ;  the  infernal  deed 
being  sanctioned  by  the  presence  of  their  officers  ! 
Many  of  the  men  thus  inhumanly  butchered,  had 
been  confined  on  mere  suspicion  !  !  ! 

Lord  Courtown  is  said  to  have  been  for  adopting 
lenient  measures  ;  and  although  it  might  be  reason- 
ably thought  that  his  rank  and  character  ought  to 
have  had  due  influence  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Gorey,  yet  his  benevolent  intentions  were  overpow- 
ered by  the  disposition  to  severity  of  most  of  the 
magistrates  ;  and  consequently,  the  measures  of  the 
most  violent  were  adopted.  The  following  is  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Gordon's  representation  of  his  lordship's 
conduct : — "  As  the    Karl    of    Courtown   had   per- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  125 

formed  much  in  providing  a  force  to  obviate  or  sup- 
press rebellion,  so  his  treatment  of  the  common 
people,  by  his  affable  manners,  had  been  always 
such  as  was  best  adapted  to  produce  content  in  the 
lower  classes,  and  prevent  a  proneness  to  insurrec- 
tion. I  consider  myself  as  bound  in  strictness  of 
justice  to  society,  thus  far  to  represent  the  conduct 
of  this  nobleman.  Doubtless,  the  people  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Gorey  were  the  last  and  least  vio- 
lent of  all  in  the  county  of  Wexford,  in  rising 
against  the  established  authority ;  and  certainly  the 
behavior  of  the  Stopford  family  in  that  neighborhood 
has  been  always  remarkably  conciliating  and  hu- 
mane."— page  i04. 

Can  any  thing  be  more  convincing  than  this  tes- 
timony, to  show  of  what  inestimable  value  it  is  for 
any  country  to  possess  good  men  ;  but  especially  for 
Ireland,  where  it  is  a  prevalent  system  to  treat  in- 
feriors with  the  utmost  cruelty  and  contempt,  as  if 
they  were  a  different  and  odious  species  of  being  ? 
If  one  family  could  effect  so  much  good  by  their 
affable  and  conciliating  manners,  is  it  not  painful  to 
reflect  on  the  consequences  of  a  contrary  behavior 
to  a  people,  who,  of  all  others  in  the  world,  are  the 
most  generous  and  open-hearted,  and  want  only  the 
fostering  hand  of  humanity,  due  encouragement,  and 
a  cultivation  of  their  natural  talents,  to  vie  in  excel- 
lence with  any  race  of  men  on  the  globe  ? 

Having  spent  Friday,  the  25th  of  May,  with  Mr. 
Turner,  a  magistrate  of  the  county  at  Newfort,  he 
requested  of  me  to  attend  him  next  day  at  Newpark, 
the  seat  of  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  where,  as  the  most  cen- 
tral place,  he  had  appointed  to  meet  the  people  of 
the  neighborhood.  I  accordingly  met  him  there,  on 
Saturday  the  26th,  where  he  continued  the  whole 
day,  administering  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  vast 
11* 


126  HISTORY  OF  THE 

numbers  of  people  :  a  certificate  was  given  to  every 
person  who  took  the  oath,  and  surrendered  any  of- 
fensive weapon.  Many  attended  who  offered  to 
take  the  oath,  and  also  to  depose  that  they  were  not 
United  Irishmen,  and  that  they  possessed  no  arms 
of  any  kind  whatever ;  and  earnestly  asked  for  cer- 
tificates. But  so  great  was  the  concourse  of  these, 
that  considering  the  trouble  of  writing  them  out,  it 
was  found  impossible  to  supply  them  all  with  sucli 
testimonials  at  that  time.  Mr.  Turner,  therefore, 
continued  to  receive  surrendered  arms,  desiring  such 
as  had  none  to  wait  a  more  convenient  opportunity. 
Numbers,  however,  still  conceiving  that  tliey  would 
not  be  secure  without  a  written  protection,  offered 
ten  times  their  intrinsic  value  to  such  as  had  brought 
pike  blades  to  surrender ;  but  these,  being  unwilling 
to  forego  the  benefit  of  a  written  protection  for  the 
moment,  refused  to  part  with  their  weapons  on  any 
other  consideration.  Among  the  great  numbers  as- 
sembled on  this  occasion  were  some  men  from  the 
village  of  Ballaghkeen,  who  had  the  appearance  of 
being  more  dead  than  alive,  from  the  apprehensions 
they  were  under  of  having  their  houses  burnt,  or 
themselves  whipped,  should  they  return  home.  These 
apprehensions  had  been  excited  to  this  degree,  be- 
cause that  on  the  night  of  Thursday  the  24th,  the 
Enniscorthy  cavalry,  conducted  by  Mr.  Archibald 
Hamihon  Jacob,  had  come  to  Ballaghkeen  ;  but  on 
hearing  the  approaching  noise,  the  inhabitants  ran 
out  of  their  houses,  and  fled  into  large  brakes  of 
furze,  on  a  hill  immediately  above  the  village,  from 
whence  they  could  hear  the  cries  of  one  of  their 
neighbors,  who  was  dragged  out  of  his  house,  tied 
up  to  a  thorn-tree,  and  while  one  yeoman  continued 
flogging  him,  another  was  throwing  water  on  his 
back.     The  groans  of  the  unfortunate  sufferer,  from 


IRISH  REBELLION.  127 

the  stillness  of  the  night,  reverberated  widely 
through  the  appalled  neighborhood  ;  and  the  spot  of 
execution  these  men  represented  to  have  appeared 
next  morning,  "  as  if  a  pig  had  been  killed  there." 
After  this  transaction,  Mr.  Jacob  went  round  to  all 
the  rest  of  the  houses,  and  signified,  that  if  he 
should  find  the  owners  out  of  them,  on  his  next 
visit,  he  would  burn  them.  These  men,  whose 
countenances  exhibited  marks  of  real  terror,  par- 
ticularly from  apprehension  of  flogging,  which  they 
seemed  to  dread  more  than  death  itself,  offered  to 
surrender  themselves  prisoners  to  Mr.  Turner,  who 
did  all  in  his  power  to  allay  their  fears,  offering  to 
give  them  all  certificates,  the  production  of  which  to 
Mr.  Jacob,  he  was  sure  would  afford  them  protec- 
tion ;  but  they  still  persisted  in  preferring  to  remain 
as  prisoners  with  Mr.  Turner,  rather  than  to  place 
any  confidence  in  Mr.  Jacob.  Mr.  Turner  then 
gave  them  certificates,  declaring  their  absence  from 
home  to  be  by  his  permission,  to  be  left  with  their 
families,  and  told  them  they  might  come  to  his 
house  if  they  pleased.  Mr.  Turner's  feehngs  ap- 
peared but  too  sensibly  affected  at  the  recital  of 
these  excesses.  He  lamented  that  such  scenes  had 
been  exhibited,  and  said  he  had  conceived  that  all 
coercive  measures  were  to  cease,  during  the  four- 
teen days  allowed  by  the  magistrates  for  the  people 
to  surrender  their  arms ;  adding,  that  he  greatly 
feared  that  very  desirable  object  would  be  much  re- 
tarded by  such  violence,  which  would  prove  the 
more  lamentable  on  account  of  the  recent  news 
from  the  county  of  Kildare.  On  this  very  day,  too, 
we  had  the  mortification  to  be  informed  that  the 
furniture  and  effects  of  a  shopkeeper  at  Ennis- 
corthy  were  brought  out  and  burned  in  the  public 
street;  and,  on  the  next  morning,  a  man  was  hanged 


128  HISTORY  OF  THE 

there,  and  his  body  dragged  up  and  down  several 
times  through  the  market-place,  with  shocking  inhu- 
manity and  inefficient  cruelty  ! 

I  remained  the  whole  day  with  Mr.  Turner,  who 
did  not  go  home  till  after  ten  o'clock.  We  indulged 
the  fond  hope  at  parting,  that  the  county  of  Wexford 
would  remain  quiet,  from  the  disposition  generally 
shown  by  the  people,  and  we  separated  with  the  ex- 
pectation of  being  able  to  pay  our  friendly  visits  to 
each  other  as  usual.  Indeed,  all  over  the  county  of 
Wexford,  the  people  had  now  given  up  all  thought 
of  insurrection,  of  which  nothing  can  afford  a  more 
convincing  proof  than  the  general  surrender  of  arms  ; 
and  I  have  heard  respectable  magistrates,  to  whom 
they  were  surrendered,  declare  their  conviction  to  the 
same  effect.  Mr.  Richards,  of  Solborough,  captain 
of  the  Enniscorthy  cavalry;  Mr.  Beauman,  of  Hyde 
Park,  captain  of  the  Coolgreny  cavalry  ;  Mr.  Cor- 
nock,  captain  of  the  Scarawalsh  infantiy  ;  and  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Colclough,  of  Duffrey  Hall,  distinguished 
themselves  by  their  anxiety  to  satisfy  and  calm  the 
agitated  minds  of  the  populace  ;  and  were  busily 
employed  in  granting  certificates  to  such  as  surren- 
dered their  arms.  Many  other  magistrates  attended 
at  different  places  for  the  same  purpose.  Mr.  Bag- 
nal  Harvey  had  collected  the  arms  of  all  his  tenant- 
ry and  neighborhood,  and  on  this  very  day  (Saturday, 
the  26th  of  May)  brought  them  into  Wexford.  As 
it  was  late  when  he  delivered  them  up,  he  did  not 
return  home  that  night,  but  remained  in  town  ;  and 
just  as  he  was  going  to  bed,  he  was  arrested  by- 
Captain  Boyd,  and  lodged  in  the  jail.  Mr.  Perci- 
val,  the  high  sheriff,  and  Captain  Boyd,  with  a  strong 
party  of  the  Wexford  cavalry,  proceeded  on  the 
same  night  to  Newpark,  the  seat  of  Mr.  Fitzgerald, 
to  take  him  prisoner.     I  had  remained   there   that 


IRISH  REBELLION.  129 

night,  and  was  alarmed  and  roused  from  my  bed 
by  a  loud  rapping  at  the  door  about  midnight,  which 
I  soon  discovered  to  be  the  party  before  mentioned, 
who  came  to  arrest  Mr.  Fitzgerald.  I  requested  per- 
mission to  accompany  my  friend,  which  was  granted ; 
but  as  these  gentlemen  refused  taking  the  pikes  and 
other  arms  that  had  been  surrendered  at  the  place 
the  day  before  to  Mr.  Turner,  and  had  remained  there, 
I  dispatched  a  messenger  to  him  with  the  intelhgence 
of  what  had  happened,  before  we  set  out  with  this 
escort,  which  met  with  no  other  delay,  but  w^iile  they 
chose  to  continue  rummaging  Mr.  Fitzgerald's  papers, 
among  which,  by  the  by,  they  could  discover  nothing 
that  could  in  the  remotest  degree  criminate  him. 
We  arrived  a  little  after  daylight  in  Wexford,  where 
Mr.  Fitzgerald  was  lodged  in  the  jail.  The  Wexford 
cavalry  then  set  off  to  Ballyteigue,  ten  miles  from 
town,  from  whence  they  brought  Mr.  John  Henry 
Colclough  prisoner  in  the  course  of  the  day,  and 
lodged  him  also  in  the  jail. 

Early  on  this  morning,  being  Whitsunday,  I  saw 
Mr.  Turner  on  his  entrance  into  Wexford.  He 
brought  the  first  intelligence  of  the  rising  of  the  peo- 
ple, from  whom,  he  said,  he  could  not  have  been  so 
fortunate  as  to  escape,  but  for  my  messenger,  who 
had  called  him  up  before  day ;  otherwise  he  would 
have  been  at  home  w^ien  his  house  was  attacked  by 
the  multitude  for  arms,  as  were  all  the  houses  through- 
out the  whole  neighborhood  at  that  time.  When  he 
had  given  notice  of  the  fact  to  the  officer  command- 
ing in  the  barracks,  I  accompanied  him  to  the  jail, 
and  after  having  seen  our  friend,  set  out  with  him  to 
Castlebridge,  where,  finding  the  insurrection  much 
more  serious  than  w^as  at  first  imagined,  all  kind  of 
parleying  being  deemed  ineffectual,  on  consultation 
with  the  officers  present,  I  returned  to  Wexford,  as 


130  HISTORY  OF  THE 

they  considered  my  situation  would  be  too  perilous 
should  I  accompany  them  in  colored  clothes.  The 
Shilmalier  cavalry,  commanded  by  Colonel  Le- 
Huiite,  had  already  assembled,  before  the  arrival  of 
onejiundred  and  ten  of  the  North  Cork  militia,  who 
took  route  by  the  lower  road  along  the  sea-side,  while 
the  yeomen  had  taken  the  upper  road  by  Castle- 
bridge.  Both  met  at  Ballifanock,  and  proceeded  to- 
gether as  far  as  Ballinamonabeg,  where  Mr.  Turner 
not  finding  a  man  of  the  name  of  Darby  Kavanagh, 
who  kept  a  public-house  there,  at  home,  and  having 
remembered  that  he  had  surrendered  a  pike  the  day 
before,  he  ordered  his  house  to  be  set  on  fire,  after 
getting  what  spirits  and  beer  it  contained  to  refresh 
the  soldiers,  who  were  much  fatigued  after  their 
hasty  march  through  heavy  sandy  roads.  A  propo- 
sal was  made  to  burn  the  chapel  of  Ballinamonabeg 
just  adjoining,  which  was  overruled,  particularly  by 
Armstrong  Browne,  Esq.,  who  observed  it  would  be 
a  very  indifferent  compliment  to  pay  the  Catholics  to 
burn  their  place  of  worship,  while  a  considerable 
part  of  the  force  then  assembled  were  of  that  per- 
suasion,* which  sentiment  actually  prevented  the 
burning  of  the  chapel. 

Having  halted  here  for  some  time,  they  proceeded 
three  miles  further,  and  came  in  sight  of  the  insur- 
gents collected  in  great  numbers  on  the  hill  of  Ou- 
lart,  distant  about  ten  miles  from  Wexford.  Colonel 
Foote  of  the  North  Cork,  seeing  their  position  so 
strong  and  commanding,  thought  it  advisable  not  to 

*  Shilmalier  cavalry  present,  viz.,  Colonel  Le-Hunte,  Lieutenant 
Armstrong  Browne,  Lieutenant  Kavanagh,  Colonel  Watson,  Ser- 
geant Edward  Turner,  Henry  Hatchell,  Samuel  Maude,  Richard 
Gainfort,  Maurice  Jones,  and  Richard  Williams,  Protestants  ;  Ni- 
cholas Dixon,  Ignatius  Rosseter,  Walter  Redmond,  James  Lambert, 
Michael  Waddick,  Richard  Kinselagh,  Charles  Dunn,  Patrick 
Dixon,  and Murphy,  Catholics. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  131 

attack  them  ;  but  Major  Lombard,  of  the  same  regi- 
ment, being  of  a  contrary  opinion,  orders  were  given 
to  burn  two  houses,  situated  in  a  hollow,  between 
the  army  and  the  insurgents,  and  Mr.  Turner  volun- 
teered his  service  for  that  purpose.  This  was  done 
with  a  view  to  stimulate  the  insurgents  to  revenge, 
and  thus,  if  possible,  to  induce  them  to  abandon  the 
advantage  of  their  situation.  This  feint,  however,  not 
succeeding,  and  Colonel  Foote  still  persisting  in  his 
opinion.  Major  Lombard  instantly  addressed  the  sol- 
diers in  terms  animating  them  at  once  to  attack  the 
insurgents,  who,  he  said,  would  fly  at  their  approach. 
His  words  had  the  effect  of  making  them  advance. 
They  descended  from  the  small  eminence  which  they 
occupied,  and  crossing  the  valley  between,  began  to 
ascend  the  hill  of  Oulart,  while  the  Shilmalier  caval- 
ry took  a  circuitous  route,  round  the  hill  to  the  left, 
with  the  intention  of  preventing  a  retreat,  but  in  fact 
they  caused  numbers  to  rally,  who  attempted  to  run 
oif,  on  perceiving  the  approach  of  a  serious  engage- 
ment. This  also  contributed  to  make  the  insurgents 
rush  in  greater  numbers,  and  with  accumulated  force, 
on  the  North  Cork,  who  were  charging  up  the  hill. 
They  had  fired  but  two  volleys  when  they  were  to- 
tally discomfited.  This  success  of  the  insurgents 
was  much  promoted  by  the  address  of  a  servant  boy, 
who,  as  the  military  were  ascending  the  hill,  advised 
such  of  the  insurgents  as  were  then  about  him,  to  lie 
down  under  cover  of  the  ditches,  and  wait  the  close 
approach  of  the  military.  By  this  manoeuvre  these 
were  suddenly  surprised  by  a  force  not  greatly  out- 
numbering themselves,  but  the  impetuosity  of  the 
attack  occasioned  their  total  overthrow,  while  the  fact 
was,  at  the  instant,  utterly  unknown  to  the  great  body 
of  the  insurgents,  who  attended  their  commanders  on 
the  other  side  of  the  hill.     Of  the  North  Cork  party, 


132  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Major  Lombard,  the  Hon.  Captain  de  Courcy,  Lieu- 
tenants Williams,  Ware,  Barry,  and  Ensign  Keogh, 
were  left  on  the  field  of  battle.  In  short,  none  es- 
caped except  Colonel  Foote,  a  sergeant,  who  mount- 
ed the  major's  horse,  a  drummer,  and  two  privates. 
It  may  not  be  unworthy  of  remark,  that  there  was  a 
fool  who  followed  the  North  Cork,  and  who,  when 
he  saw  the  major  fall,  ran  to  the  body  and  embraced 
it,  then  took  the  major's  sword  and  with  it  dispatched 
two  men  before  he  fell  himself.  The  insurgents  had 
but  five  men  killed,  and  two  wounded.  The  Shil- 
malier  cavalry,  and  Colonel  Foote,  made  a  precipitate 
retreat  to  Wexford.  A  large  party  of  the  W^exford 
cavalry  also,  who  had  no  share  whatever  in  the  ac- 
tion, were  involved  in  this  retreat.  Having  lodged 
Mr.  Colclough  in  jail,  they  set  out  on  another  excur- 
sion to  Balliamrrin.  In  their  course  they  shot  some 
straggling  men,  and  burned  two  houses,  on  finding 
two  men  killed  near  them.  They  were  thus  employ- 
ed in  scouring  the  country  when  informed  of  the  de- 
feat at  Oulart,  and  this  determined  them  without 
hesitation  to  retreat  with  all  speed  homeward. 

The  remainder  of  the  North  Cork  regiment  were 
instantly  under  arms  in  the  barracks,  when  informed 
of  the  defeat  of  that  part  of  their  body  which  had 
gone  out  to  action.  Burning  for  revenge,  they  actu- 
ally marched  to  the  bridge,  as  if  determined  to  pro- 
ceed and  meet  the  insurgents  ;  but  they  were  induced 
to  return  by  some  gentlemen,  who  endeavored  to  dis- 
suade them  from  so  headlonsr  and  unsafe  an  under- 
taking. 

The  great  suspense  felt  by  the  inhabitants  of  Wex- 
ford, during  the  whole  of  this  day,  on  account  of  so 
sudden  an  insurrection,  now  grew  into  serious  alarm, 
such  as  unexpected  news  like  this  must  inspire. 
The  lamentations  of  the  unfortunate  widows  and  or- 


IRISH   REBELLION.  133 

phans  of  the  soldiers  who  had  fallen  in  the  encounter, 
increased  the  general  consternation.  These,  clap- 
ping their  hands,  ran  about  the  streets  quite  frantic, 
mixing  their  piteous  moanings  with  the  plaintive  cries 
of  their  children,  and  uttering  their  bitterest  maledic- 
tions against  the  yeomen,  whom  they  charged  with 
having  run  away,  and  left  their  husbands  to  destruc- 
tion !  Letters  were  dispatched  to  Duncannon  Fort 
and  to  Waterford  with  these  disastrous  accounts, 
and  requesting  reinforcements. 

Those  of  the  North  Cork  militia  then  in  the  town, 
vowed  vengeance  against  the  prisoners  confined  in 
the  jail,  particularly  against  Messrs.  Harvey,  Fitz- 
gerald, and  Colclough,  so  lately  taken  up ;  and  so 
explicitly  and  without  reserve  were  these  intentions 
manifested,  that  I  myself  heard  a  sergeant  and  others 
of  the  regiment  declare  that  they  could  not  die  easy 
if  they  should  not  have  the  satisfaction  of  putting  the 
prisoners  in  the  jail  of  Wexford  to  death,  particularly 
the  three  gentlemen  last  mentioned.  Nor  was  this 
monstrous  design  harbored  only  by  the  common  sol- 
diers ;  some  of  the  officers  declared  the  same  inten- 
tions, I  communicated  all  to  the  jailer,  who  informed 
me  that  he  had  himself  heard  the  guards  on  the  jail 
express  their  hostile  intentions.  He  was  so  alarmed 
and  apprehensive  of  their  putting  their  threats  into 
execution,  that  he  contrived  means  to  get  them  out, 
then  locked  the  door,  and  determined  to  defend  his 
charge  at  the  risk  of  his  life.  He  then,  with  a  hu- 
manity and  presence  of  mind  that  would  have  be- 
come a  better  station,  communicated  his  apprehen- 
sions to  all  the  prisoners,  whom  he  advised  to  remain 
close  in  their  cells,  so  as  to  avoid  being  shot  in  case 
of  an  actual  attack.  He  armed  the  three  gentlemen, 
and  formed  so  judicious  a  plan  of  defence,  that  in  the 
event  of  their  being  overpowered,  their  lives  could 
12 


134  HISTORY  OF  THE 

not  be  had  at  a  cheap  rate.  Of  this  scene  I  was  my- 
self an  eye-witness,  having  permission  from  the  high 
sheriff  to  pay  every  attention  to  my  friend  and  rela- 
tion, Mr.  Fitzgerald.  The  latter  gentleman  gave  me 
his  watch,  pocket-book,  and  every  thing  valuable 
about  him  ;  and  we  took  leave,  as  if  we  expected 
never  to  see  each  other  more.  Several  of  the  North 
Cork  came  to  the  jail  door,  but  were  refused  admit- 
tance. At  last  a  party  of  them  came  with  a  woman, 
or  one  who  feigned  a  female  voice,  begging  admit- 
tance ;  and  the  door  being  opened,  the  soldiers  in- 
stantly rushed  forward  to  get  in,  but  were  prevented 
by  a  half-door  that  remained  still  shut.  The  Avhole 
door  was  then  closed,  and  it  jammed  in  a  soldier's 
arm,  who  desisted  not  from  his  design,  until  his  bay 
onet,  with  which  he  attempted  to  stab  the  jailer  sev- 
eral times,  was  wrested  from  him.  A  number  of 
soldiers  went  round  the  jail  several  times,  as  if  to  re- 
connoitre, and  were  overheard  threatening  the  prison- 
ers with  certain  destruction,  if  they  could  but  get  in : 
and  I  verily  believe  that,  had  it  not  been  for  the  in- 
defatigable exertions  of  the  jailer,  the  prisoners  would 
have  been  all  massacred  ;  and  dreadful  it  is  to  think 
what  consequences  must  have  ensued  !  The  alarms 
of  the  three  gentlemen  already  named  were  so  much 
increased  by  these  circumstances,  as  well  as  by  other 
reports,  that  they  made  every  disposition  of  their  prop- 
erties, as  if  on  the  point  of  death. 

The  rising  of  the  people  in  the  county  of  Wexford, 
took  place  in  the  direction  from  Carnew  to  Oulart, 
for  fear,  as  they  alleged,  of  being  whipped,  burned, 
or  exterminated  by  the  Orangemen  ;  hearing  of  the 
numbers  of  people  that  were  put  to  death,  unarmed 
and  unoffending,  through  the  country — the  deliber- 
ate massacre  and  shooting  of  eight-and-twenty  prison- 
ers in  the  ball-alley  of  Camew,  without  trial,  and 


IRISH  REBELLION.  135 

some  under  sentence  of  transportation,  who  stopped 
there  on  their  way  to  Geneva ;  among  these  was  a 
Mr.  Wilham  Young,  a  Protestant,  who  was  ordered 
to  be  transported  by  a  mihtary  tribunal.  At  Dunla- 
vin,  thirty-four  men  were  shot  without  trial,  and 
among  them  the  informer,  on  whose  evidence  they 
were  arrested.  Strange  to  tell,  officers  presided  to 
sanction  these  proceedings  !  A  man  escaped  by 
feigning  to  be  killed ;  he  was  one  out  of  eighteen  of 
the  corps  of  Captain  Saunders,  of  Saunders-grove, 
Baltinglass.  These  reports,  together  with  all  the 
dreadful  accounts  from  the  county  of  Kildare,  roused 
their  minds  to  the  utmost  pilch  of  alarm,  indignation, 
and  fury.  They  were  forming  from  the  evening  of 
the  26lh  during  the  whole  of  the  night,  in  two  bodies. 
One  assembled  on  Kilthomas-hill,  against  w^hom 
marched  from  Carnew,  on  the  morning  of  the  27th, 
a  body  of  yeomen  cavalry  and  infantry,  who  pro- 
ceeded boldly  up  the  hill,  wdiere  the  insurgents  pos- 
sessed a  strong  and  commanding  situation,  if  they 
knew  how  to  take  advantage  of  it ;  but  they  were 
panic-struck,  and  fled  at  the  approach  of  the  milita- 
ry, w^ho  pursued  them  with  great  slaughter.  They 
spared  no  man  they  met,  and  burned  at  least  one 
hundred  houses  in  the  course  of  a  march  of  seven 
miles. 

The  Rev.  Michael  Murphy  had  been  so  alarmed 
on  hearing  of  the  rising  of  the  people,  that  he  fled  in- 
to the  town  of  Gorey  early  on  Whitsunday ;  on  his 
arrival  not  finding  Mr.  Kenny,  with  whom  he  had 
lodged  there,  he  was  induced  to  return  for  him  and 
his  family,  for  which  purpose,  not  being  able  to  pro- 
cure 'a  driver,  he  himself  led  a  horse  and  car,  and 
pursued  a  by-road,  to  get,  if  possible,  unobserved  in- 
to Ballecanow,  by  which  means  he  did  not  meet 
some  yeomen  and  others,  that  had  gone  on  the  high 


136  HISTORY  OF  THE' 

road  to  Gorey,  after  they  had  torn  up  the  altar,  broken 
the  windows,  and  otherwise  damaged  the  Roman 
CathoHc  chapel ;  uttering  the  most  violent  threats 
against  the  priest  and  his  flock,  which  specimens 
were  very  unlikely  to  remove  the  dreadful  reports  of 
the  intended  extermination  of  the  Catholics.  These 
depredations  had  so  much  weight  on  the  Rev.  Mi- 
chael Murphy  as  to  induce  him  to  alter  his  original 
intentions  not  to  fly  to  such  men  for  protection,  and 
he  was  then  led  on  by  the  multitude  to  Kilthomas- 
hill ;  the  Rev.  John  Murphy  had,  from  similar  un- 
foreseen occurrences,  joined  the  insurgents.  These 
two  clergymen  had  been  remarkable  for  their  exhor- 
tations and  exertions  against  the  system  of  United 
Irishmen,  until  they  were  thus  whirled  into  this  po- 
litical vortex,  which,  from  all  the  information  I  have 
been  able  to  collect,  they  undertook  under  the  appre- 
hension of  extermination. 

The  Rev.  John  Murphy  was  acting  coadjutor  of 
the  parish  of  Monageer  ;  and,  impressed  with  horror 
at  the  desolation  around  him,  took  up  arms  with  the 
people,  representing  to  them  that  they  had  better  die 
courageously  in  the  field,  than  to  be  butchered  in 
their  houses.  The  insurgents  in  this  quarter  now 
began  their  career  by  imitating  the  example  that  had 
been  set  before  them.  They  commenced  burning  the 
houses  of  those  who  were  most  obnoxious  to  them. 
Every  gentleman's  house  in  the  country  was  sum- 
moned to  surrender  their  arms,  and  where  any  resist- 
ance was  off*cred,  the  house  was  attacked,  plun- 
dered, and  burnt,  and  many  of  the  inhabitants  killed 
in  the  conflict.  The  Camolin  cavalrj^  were  the  first 
that  attacked  these  insurgents.  In  the  action,  *Lieu- 
tenant  Bookey  and  some  privates  lost  their  lives — 
the  rest  retreated  to  Gorey.  On  the  27th  of  May, 
Captain  Hawtrey  White  led  out  two  troops  of  horse 


IRISH  REBELLION.  137 

from  Gorey,  determined  to  revenge  the  death  of  their 
companions.  They  came  in  sight  of  the  insurgents 
on  the  north  side  of  the  hill  of  Oulart ;  but  they  ap- 
peared in  such  force  that  they  thought  it  not  prudent 
to  attack  tliem,  but  returned  to  Gorey,  burning  the 
houses  of  suspected  persons,  and  putting  every  strag- 
gler to  death  on  their  way.  Numbers  were  called  to 
their  doors  and  shot,  while  many  more  met  the  like  fate 
within  their  houses,  and  some  even  that  were  asleep. 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  insurrection  broke  out  at 
first  in  a  line  from  west  to  east,  pretty  nearly  across 
the  middle  of  the  county,  unsupported  by  the  inhabi- 
tants either  north  or  south  of  that  direction.  These 
were  the  tracts  whose  natives  appeared  most  peace- 
ably inclined,  and  who  thought  to  avoid  joining  in  the 
insurrection.  The  yeomanry  of  the  north  of  the 
country  proceeded  on  the  27th  against  a  quiet  and 
defenceless  populace ;  sallied  forth  in  their  neighbor- 
hoods, burned  numbers  of  houses,  and  put  to  death 
hundreds  of  persons  who  were  unarmed,  unoffend- 
ing, and  unresisting,  so  that  those  who  had  taken  up 
arms  had  the  greater  chance  of  escape  at  that  time. 
I  cannot  avoid  mentioning  a  circumstance,  though 
not  a  singular  one,  that  took  place  amidst  these  ca- 
lamities. Mr.  William  Hore,  of  Harperstown,  on 
his  return  home  from  Wexford,  was  induced  to  set 
fire  to  the  house  of  Miles  Redmond,  of  Harvey's 
Town,  a  lime-burner.  This  occasioned  his  subse- 
quent confinement,  and  afterwards  his  death  en  the 
bridge  of  Wexford.  He  had  offered  to  build  him  a 
better  house,  which  Mrs.  Hore,  his  widow,  notwith- 
standing her  irretrievable  loss,  has  since  actually 
performed. 

Such  was  the    state  of  the  northern  part  of  the 
county,  which  continued,  during  the  whole  of  Whit- 
sunday, ignorant  of  the  state  of  the  south. 
12* 


138  HISTORY  OF  THE 

On  the  evening  of  the  26th,  Captain  John  Grogan, 
perceiving,  from  a  height  near  his  house,  several 
houses  on  fire  between  Enniscorthy  and  Oulart,  as- 
sembled as  many  of  his  yeomen  as  he  could  muster, 
and  proceeded  with  them  to  Enniscorthy,  whence  he 
accompanied  Captain  Solomon  Richards,  of  the  En- 
niscorthy cavalry,  to  meet  the  insurgents,  who  "were 
committing  great  devastation  throughout  the  country, 
in  retaliation,  as  they  alleged,  for  what  they  had  pre- 
viously suffered.  In  fact,  there  seemed  to  exist  be- 
tween the  parties  an  emulation  of  enmity,  as  they 
endeavored  to  outdo  each  other  in  mischief,  by  burn- 
ing and  destroying  on  both  sides  those  whom  they 
deemed  their  enemies.  The  Roman  Catholic  chapel 
of  Boolevogue  was  burnt,  as  was  the  house  of  the 
Rev.  John  Murphy,  already  mentioned  ;  and  several 
houses  were  set  on  fire,  and  some  of  the  inhabitants 
consumed  within  them.  No  man  that  was  seen  in 
colored  clothes  escaped  the  fury  of  the  yeomanry. 
In  and  about  Ferns,  a  party  of  the  North  Cork  militia 
and  some  yeomen  pursued  the  like  conduct,  as  well 
as  in  the  course  of  their  retreat  from  thence  to  Ennis- 
corthy, where  the}'^  arrived  on  the  morning  of  the 
27th.  The  Shilmalier  infantry,  commanded  by  the 
Right  Hon.  George  Ogle,  were  then  in  Enniscorthy 
also.  They  took  an  excursion  to  Darby  Gap,  and 
on  their  return  they  marched  home.  Captain  John 
Grogan  escorted  Sergeant  Stanley  as  far  as  Water- 
ford,  on  his  way  to  Cork  as  judge  of  assize.  The 
town  of  Enniscorthy  was  crowded  by  great  numbers 
of  people  who  fled  into  it  from  the  country — Catho- 
lics among  the  rest.  Some  of  the  latter  were  put 
into  confinement  in  the  castle,  notwithstanding  the 
deplorable  evils  of  which  that  impolitic  system  had 
been  already  productive  ;  and  although  it  must  be 
naturally  imagined,  that  a  greater  proof  could  not  be 


IRISH  REBELLION.  139 

given  of  not  wishing  to  join  the  insurgents  than  that 
of  flying  into  the  town  for  refuge. 

On  Monday  morning,  the  28th  of  May,  every  pre- 
paration was  made  for  defence,  and  every  precaution 
observed  in  the  town.  Part  of  the  North  Cork  mili- 
tia, commanded  by  Captain  Snowe,  Captain  Cornock, 
and  Captain  Pounden's  infantry  corps,  with  their 
supernumeraries,  and  the  Enniscorthy  cavalry,  com- 
manded by  Captain  Richards,  (the  whole  mihtary 
force  in  the  town,)  were  on  the  alert,  and  under  arms, 
in  expectation  of  an  immediate  attack.  Many  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  town  offered  their  services,  and 
armed  themselves  as  well  as  they  could  to  contribute 
to  the  general  defence.  Some  of  the  most  respect- 
able were  permitted  to  join  the  troops  ;  but  most  of 
those  who  had  offered  their  assistance  were,  during 
the  battle,  ordered  to  ground  their  arms  and  retire 
into  their  houses,  out  of  which  they  were  perempto- 
rily warned  not  to  stir,  on  pain  of  death.  Good  God  ! 
what  miserable  policy  in  such  times,  to  brand  them 
as  Catholics  with  disaffection,  when  their  actions  be- 
spoke so  much  the  contrary,  and  thus  to  force  them 
into  the  ranks  of  the  insurgents  !  After  the  battle  of 
Oulart,  the  insurgents  encamped  for  the  night  at 
Carrigrew,  from  whence  they  set  out  at  seven  o'clock 
on  Monday  morning,  the  28th,  to  Camolin,  from 
thence  to  Ferns,  where,  meeting  with  no  interruption, 
or  any  military  force  to  oppose  them,  they  crossed 
the  Slaney'-by  the  bridge  at  Scarawalsh,  halted  for 
some  time  on  the  hill  of  Baliioril,  and  from  thence 
they  proceeded  to  attack  Enniscorthy,  where  they 
arrived  about  one  o'clock,  driving  before  them  a  great 
number  of  cattle,  with  a  view  of  overpowering  the 
yeoman  infantry  that  had  proceeded  to  the  Duffrey 
Gate,  where  the  attack  commenced.  The  assailants, 
posting  themselves  behind  the  ditches  that  enclose 


140  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  town-parks,  kept  up  a  severe  but  irregular  fire 
of  musketry,  intermixed  with  pikemen,  who  were 
twice  charged  by  the  Enniscorthy  cavalry  along  the 
two  roads  leading  into  the  town,  with  little  or  no 
effect.  The  battle  lasted  with  various  success  for 
four  hours  ;  Captain  Snowe  not  considering  it  pru- 
dent to  quit  his  situation  on  the  bridge  to  support 
the  yeomen  at  the  Duffrey  Gate,  who  then  fell 
down  by  degrees  into  the  town,  leaving  the  suburbs, 
composed  of  thatclied  houses,  unprotected,  which 
then  were  set  fire  to,  (each  party  accusing  the  other 
for  doing  so,)  and,  as  it  turned  out,  nothing  could 
be  more  conducive  to  the  success  of  the  insurgents 
during  the  confusion  the  conflagrations  occasioned, 
from  which  each  party  retreated,  the  military  taking 
their  station  in  the  town.  Had  they  marched  out 
to  meet  the  insurgents,  and  given  tliem  battle 
where  they  might  have  had  the  advantage  of  the 
ditches,  their  superiority  in  discipline  and  fire-arms 
might  have  enabled  them  to  break  and  dissipate  the 
tumultuary  body  opposed  to  them,  that  had  every  ad- 
vantage over  those  placed  in  a  hollow.  The  insur- 
gents made  an  attempt  to  cross  the  river  at  the  island 
above  the  bridge,  from  whence  they  were  so  galled 
as  to  oblige  them  to  wade  through  the  Slaney  higher 
up  at  Blackstoops :  some  were  proceeding  to  Vinegar 
Hill,  which,  from  its  commanding  situation  immedi- 
ately above  the  town,  gave  them  every  advantage  of 
observation,  while  their  numbers  affcu'ded  a  suf- 
ficiency to  attack  the  town  on  all  sides.  The  mili- 
tary were  at  length  overpowered  by  the  impetuosity 
and  intrepidity  of  the  insurgents,  many  of  whom  fell 
in  the  gallant  defence  made  against  them  ;  but  the 
soldiers  having  no  cannon  to  support  them,  and  the 
suburbs  of  the  town  being  on  fire  in  several  places, 
they  at  last  sounded  a  retreat.     While  the  town  was 


IRISH  REBELLION.  141 

thus  circumstanced,  a  proposal  was  made  to  Captain 
Snowe  to  put  the  prisoners  to  death  before  the  evacu- 
ation of  the  place  ;  but  he,  like  a  truly  brave  man, 
would  not  listen  to  such  a  diabolical  proposal,  and 
rejected  it  with  scorn  and  abhorrence  ;  notwithstand- 
ing which  a  party  went  to  the  castle  determined  to 
put  all  confined  therein  to  death.  An  ineffectual  at- 
tempt was  made  to  break  open  the  door,  the  keeper 
having  forgot  to  leave  the  key,  with  which  he  had 
set  off  towards  Wexford ;  and  this  circumstance 
providentially  saved  the  lives  of  the  prisoners,  as 
it  became  too  dangerous  for  the  yeomen  to  wait 
any  longer  to  put  their  threats  in  execution — 
threats  which  they  constantly  repeated  the  whole 
of  that  morning  while  they  stood  guard  over  their 
prisoners.  Indeed,  so  assured  were  the  prisoners 
themselves  of  being  put  to  death,  that  they  had 
continued  for  hours  on  their  knees  at  prayer,  in 
preparation  for  that  awful  event,  when  the  victors  re- 
leased them  from  confinement.  Captain  John  Poun- 
den,  of  the  Enniscorthy  supplementary  infantry, 
Lieutenant  Hunt  of  the  Enniscorthy  yeomen,  and 
Lieutenant  Carden  of  the  Scarawalsh  infantry,  with 
about  eighty  of  the  military,  and  some  supplementary 
men,  fell  in  this  action.  A  regular  retreat  being 
sounded,  gave  the  mihtary  an  opportunity  of  bringing 
away  their  families  and  friends,  together  with  a  great 
many  men,  women,  and  children,  who  proceeded  in 
the  best  manner  they  could  to  Wexford.  The  only 
opinion  prevailing  in  the  latter  town,  for  some  hours, 
was,  that  Enniscorthy  and  all  its  inhabitants  were  to- 
tally destroyed.  This  was  occasioned  by  the  arrival 
in  Wexford  of  Lieutenant  Archibald  Hamilton  Jacob, 
and  a  private  of  the  Enniscorthy  cavalry,  who  had 
been  so  fortunate  as  to  effect  their  escape,  and  who 
came  in  with  their  horses  all  in  a  foam,  so  as  to  be- 


142  HISTORY  OF  THE 

speak  the  most  precipitate  flight.  At  the  same  time, 
tremendous  clouds  of  smoke  were  observed  over  En- 
niscortliy,  which  is  distant  only  eleven  miles  from 
Wexford,  and  no  news  arriving  for  several  hours,  left 
room  for  no  other  conjecture,  but  seemed  to  confirm 
the  account  given  by  these  fugitives.  The  military 
in  their  retreat  were  very  confused  at  first;  however, 
self-preservation  urged  their  keeping  together,  sug- 
gested by  a  private  in  the  yeomanry.  Officers  had 
been  induced  to  tear  off  their  epaulets,  and  every 
other  mark  that  could  distinguish  them  from  the  pri- 
vates, considering  themselves  in  more  danger  if  they 
were  recognised  as  officers.  However,  not  being 
attacked,  there  was  sufficient  leisure  to  escort  those 
that  accompanied  them,  and  who  were  in  such  a 
piteous  plight  as  to  excite  on  their  arrival  the  hearty 
commiseration  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  Wexford,  who 
invited  them  indiscriminately  to  their  houses,  and 
supplied  them  with  every  comfort  and  necessary  in 
their  power,  and  of  which  they  stood  so  much  in 
need.  How  distressing  must  be  the  situation  of 
many  ladies  who  were  glad  to  get  up  behind  or  be- 
fore any  person  that  might  be  tender  enough,  in  the 
general  consternation,  to  take  them  on  horseback  ! 
Some  had  their  clothes  scorched  about  them,  others 
wanted  their  shoes  and  other  parts  of  their  dress, 
which  had  been  lost  or  torn  oft';  besides,  the  great 
heat  of  the  day  made  it  doubly  distressing  to  delicate 
females,  many  of  whom  had  the  additional  charge  of 
the  burden  and  care  of  their  children.  It  was  very  de- 
plorable to  observe  the  anguish  and  misery  of  these  fu- 
gitives, so  suddenly  and  violently  torn  from  their 
homes  and  family  endearments  ;  while  each  in  mel- 
ancholy detail  dwelt  upon  the  relation  of  private  ca- 
lamity. 

Great  as  the  apprehensions  of  the  inhabitants  of 


IRISH  REBELLION.  143 

Wexford  had  been  before,  ihey  were  much  height- 
ened by  the  mournful  appearances  and  heart-rending 
recitals  of  these  unhappy  sufferers.  All  dreaded 
that  their  houses,  their  properties,  and  themselves, 
should  share  the  fate  of  Enniscorthy  and  its  inhabit- 
ants. At  this  critical  period,  the  Shilmalier  infantry, 
commanded  by  the  Right  Hon.  George  Ogle,  march- 
ed from  their  homes  into  Wexford.  Every  possible 
preparation  was  now  made  for  defence.  The  sev- 
eral avenues  leading  into  the  town  were  barricaded, 
and  cannon  were  placed  at  the  different  entrances. 
The  inhabitants  universally  manifested  a  zeal  to  de- 
fend their  habitations,  their  properties,  and  their 
families  against  the  insurgents  ;  and  numbers  offer- 
ed themselves  for  the  ranks,  and  to  perform  military 
duty.  Upwards  of  two  hundred  were  consequently 
embodied,  there  being  arms  for  no  more,  under  the 
command  of  gentlemen  who  had  been  in  the  army, 
and  officers  of  the  militia  then  in  the  town  on  leave 
of  absence.  These  occasional  soldiers  mounted 
guard  in  the  same  manner  with  the  more  regular 
troops  of  militia  and  yeomen  ;  and  every  precaution 
was  taken  to  guard  against  a  nocturnal  surprise, 
which  was  strongly  apprehended.  The  gentlemen 
confined  in  the  jail  were  visited  by  numbers  of  those 
in  town,  who  entreated  Messrs.  Harvey  and  Col- 
clough  to  write  to  their  tenants  and  neighbors,  to  in- 
duce them  to  remain  quiet  at  their  homes,  and  to 
avoid  joining  the  insurgents  from  the  other  side  of 
the  Slaney.  This  the  gentlemen  readily  complied 
with,  in  the  presence  of  those  who  besought  them, 
urging  it  in  the  most  strenuous  and  persuasive  terms 
they  could ;  and  messengers  were  accordingly  dis- 
patched to  every  person,  who,  it  was  suggested  to 
them,  possessed  influence  enough  for  the  purpose, 
or  who  was  imagined  capable  of  contributing  to  keep 


144  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  inhabitants  of  the  baronies  of  Forth  and   Bargy 
from  rising. 

On  the  morning  of  the  29th,  the  dispositions  for 
the  defence  of  the  town  were  continued  with  unaba- 
ting  vigor.  Two  hundred  men  of  the  Donegal  mi- 
litia, commanded  by  Colonel  Maxwell,  with  a  six- 
pounder,  marched  in  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
and  were  billeted  throughout  the  town  to  get  re- 
freshment, of  which  they  stood  in  great  need,  having 
marched  all  night  from  Duncannon  Fort,  accom- 
panied by  the  Healthfield  cavalry,  commanded  by 
Captain  John  Grogan.  This  gentleman  having  es- 
corted Sergeant  Stanley  to  Waterford,  returned  to 
Duncannon  Fort,  where  he  met  General  Fawcett, 
whose  determination  he  now  announced  of  coming 
to  the  assistance  of  Wexford  with  an  additional  force 
as  soon  as  possible.  With  this  detachment  also  ar- 
rived Colonel  Colville,  Captain  Young,  and  Lieuten- 
ant Soden,  officers  of  the  thirteenth  regiment,  giving 
the  glad  tidings  of  the  approach  of  their  body  witli 
General  Fawxelt,  and  the  Meath  militia.  A  gentle- 
man was,  however,  dispatched  to  the  general,  to 
urge  in  the  most  pressing  terms  the  immediate  ne- 
cessity of  the  reinforcement.  The  Taghmon  cavalry, 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Cox,  arrived  in  town 
in  the  course  of  the  day.  The  apprehensions  of  the 
inhabitants  increased  every  moment.  Every  boat  in 
the  harbor  was  busily  employed  in  the  conveyance 
of  women  and  children,  with  the  most  valuable  ef- 
fects, on  board  ships,  which  now  were  in  great  re- 
quisition, occasioned  by  the  vast  numbers  of  people 
who  crowded  these  vessels,  in  order  to  escape  from 
the  town,  which  it  was  dreaded  would  be  burnt. 
To  guard  against  such  a  disastrous  event,  all  the 
fires  in  the  town  were  strictly  ordered  to  be  put  out 
at   different   intervals ;    and,   during  the  prohibited 


IRISH  REBELLION.  146 

time,  even  the  bakers  were  not  allowed  to  heat  their 
ovens.  A  further  measure  of  precaution  adopted  on 
this  occasion  was,  that  of  stripping  all  the  thatched 
houses  within  the  walls  of  the  town,  which  last,  by 
the  by,  were  slill  standing  in  full  preservation,  ex- 
cept the  gateways,  that  had  been  long  broken  down 
for  public  convenience,  but  were  now  strongly  bar- 
ricaded. In  short,  the  utmost  activity  prevailed  for 
purposes  of  defence.  The  guards  were  augmented, 
and  patrols  of  cavalry  were  constantly  sent  out  to 
reconnoitre.  The  widows  of  those  of  the  North 
Cork  mihtia  who  had  fallen  in  the  action  at  Oulart, 
still  continued  inconsolable  about  the  town,  uttering 
their  piteous  lamentations.  The  bodies  of  the  offi- 
cers who  were  slain  on  that  occasion  were  this  day 
brought  in  by  Major  Lombard's  servant,  who  had 
gone  out  for  that  purpose ;  and  this  contributed  not 
a  little  to  dispirit  the  military  in  the  town. 

Some  of  my  friends  then  in  Wexford  intimated  to 
me,  that  it  seemed  to  be  the  general  wish  of  all  the 
gentlemen  in  the  place  that  I  should  go  out  to  the 
people,  and  endeavor  to  induce  them  to  disperse — 
my  great  popularity  and  family  influence,  it  was 
suggested,  pointing  me  out  as  the  fittest  person  to 
undertake  such  a  mission ;  which  from  these  cir- 
cumstances it  was  hoped  might  prove  successful. 
My  answer  was,  that  I  would  not  refuse  to  do  any 
thing  that  was  imagined  to  be  for  the  general  good, 
although  I  thought  the  experiment  most  hazardous, 
provided  a  magistrate  whose  honor  might  be  depend- 
ed on  would  accompany  me  ;  besides,  that  I  should 
have  my  directions  in  writing,  a  copy  whereof  I 
would  leave  with  my  friends,  in  order  that  if  I  should 
fall  in  the  enterprise,  nothing  might  be  left  in  the 
power  of  misrepresentation  to  state  to  my  dishonor. 
No  magistrate  being  found,  as  I  suppose,  that  would 
13 


146  HISTORY  OF  THE 

venture  on  this  dangerous  service,  it  was  then  in- 
quired whether  the  Hberalion  of  Messrs.  Harvey, 
Fitzgerald,  and  Colclough,  might  not  appease  the 
people  ?  On  this  question  I  declared  myself  incom- 
petent to  decide.  I  was  then  asked,  whether  if  en- 
larged on  bail,  but  particularly  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  whose 
residence  lay  in  the  country  then  disturbed,  they 
would  undertake  to  go  out  to  the  insurgents  and  en- 
deavor to  prevail  on  them  to  disperse  ?  On  this  in- 
quiry my  opinion  was,  that  as  the  lives  of  these  gen- 
tlemen were  in  danger  from  the  fury  of  the  soldiery 
while  they  continued  in  prison,  I  thought  they  would 
comply  with  this  requisition.  The  matter  now  be- 
came public,  and  the  prisoners  were  accordingly  vis- 
ited by  the  most  respectable  gentlemen  in  the  town  ; 
several  requesting  of  me  to  accompany  them  to  the 
prison,  for  the  purpose  of  introduction.  Indeed,  so 
marked  was  the  attention  paid  to  them  on  this  occa- 
sion, that  an  indifferent  spectator  would  be  led  to 
consider  them  rather  as  the  governors  of  the  town, 
than  as  prisoners.  On  the  28lh  and  29th,  I  had 
many  conversations  on  this  subject  with  the  officers 
and  gentlemen  of  the  place ;  and  at  length  I  was  my- 
self, together  with  five  other  gentlemen,  (two  for 
each  of  the  three  prisoners,)  bound  in  five  hundred 
pounds  severally ;  and  Messrs.  Harvey,  Fitzgerald, 
and  Colclough  themselves  individually  in  one  thou- 
sand pounds  security  for  their  appearance  at  the  next 
assizes.  It  was  further  conditioned,  that  although 
they  were  all  three  bailed,  two  only  should  be  at 
large  at  any  one  time  ;  but  that  they  might  take  their 
turns  of  going  abroad  interchangeably  at  their  discre- 
tion, provided  that  one  should  always  remain  in  jail 
as  a  guarantee  for  the  return  of  the  rest.  This  com- 
pact was  entered  into  with  Captain  Boyd  particular- 
ly.    Mr.  Harvey  \yas  then  fixed  on  to  remain,  and 


IRISH  REBELLION.  147 

Messrs,  Fitzgerald  and  Colclough  were  immediately 
liberated,  and  sent  out  to  endeavor  to  prevail  on  the 
people  to  disperse.  They  were  escorted  from  the 
jail  by  several  gentlemen,  who  conducted  them  be- 
3'ond  the  outposts  ;  and  then  a  yeoman  was  sent  to 
attend  them  till  they  passed  the  patrols,  and  so  they 
set  off  towards  Enniscorthy. 

The  entire  military  force  at  this  time  in  Wexford 
consisted  of  three  hundred  of  the  North  Cork  militia, 
commanded  by  Colonel  Foote  ;  two  hundred  of  the 
Donegal  militia,  under  the  direction  of  Colonel  Max- 
well ;  five  troops  of  yeomen  cavalry,  viz.  those  of 
Wexford,  commanded  by  Captain  Boyd — the  Ennis- 
corthy, by  Captain  Richards — the  Taghmon,  by 
Captain  Cox — the  Healthfield,  b}^  Captain  John  Gro- 
gan — and  the  Shilmalier,  by  Colonel  Lehunte  :  the 
infantry  yeomen  were  those  of  Wexford,  under  Cap- 
tain Jacob,  M.  D. ;  the  Enniscorth}^  under  Captain 
Pounden  ;  the  Scarawalsh,  under  Captain  Cornock  ; 
and  the  Shilmalier,  under  the  Right  Hon.  George 
Ogle,  with  their  supplementary  men,  altogether  as 
many  as  their  original  number,  and  two  hundred  of 
the  townsmen,  amounting  on  the  whole  to  twelve 
hundred  men  under  arms  ;  who,  as  the  town-wall 
was  in  good  condition,  might  defy  as  many  thousand 
assailants,  not  supported  by  a  great  superiority  of 
ordnance.  It  would  be  difficult  to  state  who  held 
the  chief  command  then  in  Wexford  ;  but  Colonel 
Watson,  (formerly  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  army,) 
who  now  filled  the  rank  of  sergeant  in  the  Shilmalier 
cavalry,  seemed  to  take  the  lead  more  than  any  other 
person  in  the  place  in  stationing  the  different  posts  ; 
and  really,  from  the  ability  he  displayed,  seemed  the 
fittest  of  all  present  to  be  intrusted  with  the  direction 
of  affairs,  having  left  nothing  undone,  as  far  as  the 
exigency  of  the  moment  would  allow,   to  put  the 


148  HISTORY  OF  THE 

town  in  as  complete  a  state  of  defence  as  possi- 
ble. 

The  insurgents,  after  having  taken  Enniscorthy 
on  the  28th,  encanriped  that  evening  on  Vinegar  Hill. 
Several  parties  were  dispatched  from  thence  during 
the  night,  to  bring  in  all  the  respectable  persons  re 
maining  in  the  county,  with  menaces  of  death  in 
case  of  refusal ;  their  recent  successes  having  ren- 
dered them  altogether  imperious.  One  party  was 
particularly  directed  to  Newcastle,  for  Mr,  John 
Hay,  in  whose  professional  talents  they  placed  great 
confidence,  as  he  had  been  an  officer  in  the  French 
service.  On  being  summoned  out  of  his  bed  to 
come  to  camp,  he  endeavored  to  expostulate,  but  all 
in  vain  ;  and  at  last  he  absolutely  refused  going,  not 
withstanding  the  most  violent  threats  uttered  against 
him.  At  length,  however,  menaces  proceeded  to 
such  extremity,  that  his  house  should  be  set  on  fire, 
and  he  and  his  family  consumed  within  it ;  and 
preparations  were  instantly  making  to  put  their 
threats  in  actual  execution,  when  turning,  with  looks 
of  anguish  and  despair,  towards  his  wife  and  daugh 
ter,  whom  he  loved  most  passionately,  with  the  ten- 
derest  emotions  he  surrendered  his  judgment  for 
their  safety,  and  was  led  to  Vinegar  Hill,  where  he 
met  several  who  had  been  summoned  thither  out  of 
their  beds,  as  unexpectedly  as  himself;  for,  as  the 
military  had  abandoned  the  whole  country,  the  in- 
surgents, who  were  now  the  generality  of  the  peo- 
ple, had  every  one  who  remained  under  uncontrol- 
lable command.  Mr.  John  Hay  finding,  upon  in- 
quiry, that  the  multitude  had  no  ammunition,  no 
warlike  stores,  nor  any  degree  of  preparation, 
strongly  remonstrated  on  their  defenceless  situation, 
representing  that  they  could  not  possibly  stand 
against  a  regularly  appointed  military  force,  as  any 


IRISH  REBELLION.  149 

soldiery,  knowing  their  duty,  must  cut  them  to 
pieces.  Various  and  confused  were  the  consulta- 
tions that  ensued  in  this  tumultuous  assemblage.  It 
was  at  once  proposed,  by  different  persons,  to  attack 
Ross,  Newlownbarry,  and  Gorey,  as  each  lay  more 
contiguous  to  their  several  homes;  for  Wexford  was 
then  considered  too  formidable  to  be  at  all  at- 
tempted ;  while  others  labored  to  persuade  the 
whole  body  to  proceed  to  their  respective  neighbor- 
hoods, to  protect  them  from  the  ravages  of  the  mil- 
itary ;  and  each  party  persisted  so  obstinately  in 
their  several  determinations,  as  not  to  yield  or  listen 
to  any  reasoning  from  another  side,  in  opposition  to 
their  favorite  opinions  ;  no  kind  of  concert,  no  unity 
of  design,  no  sort  of  discipline  or  organization 
appearing  to  influence  their  councils  or  their  con- 
duct ;  which  distraction  sufficiently  indicates  that  no 
preconcerted  or  any  digested  plan  of  insurrection 
existed  in  the  county,  previous  to  the  rising; — for  in 
such  case,  the  populace  would  have  been  rendered, 
in  some  degree  at  least,  subordinate  to  some  con- 
stituted authority ;  whereas  they  now  acted,  even 
after  considerable  successes,  not  obedient  to  any 
control,  bat  with  the  greatest  anarchy,  violence,  and 
confusion.  In  fine,  each  individual  dreaded  the 
devastation  of  his  house  or  his  property.  Most 
of  the  multitude  was  dispersed,  and  on  their  way  to 
their  several  homes,  in  all  directions,  from  Vinegar 
Hill,  when  some  of  them  met  Messrs.  Fitzgerald 
and  Colclough  (whose  arrests  were  publicly  known) 
near  the  village  of  St.  John's,  and  finding  them  lib- 
erated, and  sent  out  to  them,  they  were  immediately 
welcomed  by  a  general  shout,  which,  communicating 
from  one  to  another,  like  electricity^  was  re-echoed 
all  the  way  to  Enniscorthy,  and  so  on  to  the  top  of 
Vinegar  Hill,  and  thence  through  all  the  county 
13* 


150  HISTORY  OF  THE 

round.  The  reverberation  of  the  shouts  thus  widely 
diffused,  arrested  the  attention  of  the  astonished 
multitude,  who  instantly  returned  to  discover  the 
cause  of  such  sudden  exultation  ;  so  that  when  the 
deputed  gentlemen  arrived  on  Vinegar  Hill,  the 
camp,  so  deserted  but  a  moment  before,  now  be- 
came as  thronged  as  ever.  Were  it  not  sufficiently 
established  by  the  universal  acknowledgment  of  all 
the  inhabitants  of  the  county  of  Wexford,  officers 
and  men,  who  bore  a  part  in  this  insurrection,  that 
there  was  no  concert  between  this  rising  and  the 
plan  of  a  general  insurrection  in  and  about  Dublin  ; 
and  that  it  was  no  more  than  a  tumultuary  and 
momentary  exertion  of  popular  resistance  to  a  slate 
of  things  found,  or  considered  insupportable,  the 
sole  object  of  which  was  an  attempt  to  get  rid  of 
oppressions,  and  to  retaliate,  with  equal  violence, 
what  they  had  been  for  some  time  experiencing  ; 
this  inclination  of  each  man,  and  every  body  of  men, 
to  return  home,  and  apply  the  general  force  to  the 
correction  of  their  individual  sufferings,  would  fur- 
nish a  strong  proof  of  the  fact ;  as  otherwise  the 
idea  of  some  general  system,  however  confused, 
would  be  floating  in  their  imagination  ;  and  it  is  the 
confirmed  opinion  of  most  impartial  people,  that  I 
have  heard  discuss  the  subject,  that  the  insurrection 
in  the  county  of  Wexford  must  have  subsided  at 
that  period,  but  for  this  intelligence  extraordinary 
from  the  town  by  the  deputation  of  the  prisoners, 
who,  of  necessity,  informed  the  people,  that  they 
had  been  liberated,  and  sent  out  for  the  express  pur- 
pose of  remonstrating  with  them  ;  for  this  served 
only  to  concentrate  tlieir  wavering  opinions,  and  to 
point  to  some  object  their  previously  fluctuating 
determinations.  It  was  but  the  resolution  of  a  mo- 
ment to  march  in  a  body  to  attack  Wexford.     Mr. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  151 

Fitzgerald  they  detained  in  the  camp,  and  Mr.  Col- 
clough  they  sent  back  to  announce  their  hostile  in- 
tentions. • 

Mr.  Colclough  arrived  in  Wexford  early  in  the 
evening,  and  waited  in  the  bull-ring  (a  snnall  square 
in  the  town  so  denominated)  until  the  officers  and 
other  gentlemen  in  the  place  had  there  assembled, 
when  he  informed  them,  in  a  very  audible  voice, 
from  on  horseback,  that  having  gone  out,  according 
to  their  directions,  to  the  insurgents  on  Vinegar  Hill, 
he  found,  as  he  had  already  suggested  before  his 
departure,  that  he  possessed  no  influence  with  the 
people,  who  had  ordered  him  to  return  and  announce 
their  determination  of  marching  to  the  attack  of 
Wexford  ;  adding,  that  they  had  detained  Mr.  Fitz- 
gerald. Mr.  Colclough  then  requested  to  be  informed 
if  it  was  intended  to  make  further  trial  of  his  ser- 
vices, or  to  require  his  longer  attendance,  as  other- 
wise they  must  be  sensible  how  eager  he  must  be  to 
relieve  the  anxiety  of  his  family  by  his  presence. 
He  was  then  entreated  to  endeavor  to  maintain  tran- 
quillity in  his  own  neighborhood,  which  having 
promised  to  do  as  much  as  in  his  power,  he  called 
at  the  jail  to  visit  Mr.  Harvey,  with  whom  he  agreed 
(according  to  the  compact  with  Captain  Boyd)  to 
return  next  day  and  take  his  place  in  the  jail,  and 
then  set  off,  through  the  barony  of  Forth,  to  his  own 
dwelling,  at  Ballyteigue,  distant  about  ten  miles  from 
Wexford. 

If  any  thing  could  add  to  the  general  consterna- 
tion in  Wexford,  it  was  to  learn  the  determination 
of  the  insurgents  to  come  to  attack  the  town.  Ships 
became  in  greater  requisition  than  ever,  and  all  the 
vessels  in  the  harbor  were  stowed  with  amazing 
numbers  ;  the  streets  were  quite  deserted,  and  the 
shops  and  lower  windows  of  all  the  houses  were 


152  HISTORY  OF  THE 

shut  up.  Late  in  the  evening,  as  two  of  the  Tagh- 
mon  yeomanry  were  going  home,  and  had  pro- 
ceeded as  far  as.Areandrish,  about  four  miles  from 
Wexford,  they  descried  the  advanced-guard  of  the 
insurgents  ;  with  which  inteUigence  they  imme- 
diately posted  back  with  all  speed  to  the  town, 
which  was  already  in  expectation  of  being  attacked 
every  instant.  Every  degree  of  vigilance  and  pre- 
caution was  now  exerted,  and  the  military  kept  on 
the  alert  all  night.  The  portcullis,  on  the  remark- 
able wooden-bridge  over  the  Slaney,  was  hoisted, 
whereby  the  greater  part  of  it  w-as  left  defenceless, 
while  one  piece  of  cannon  would  have  perfectly 
protected  the  whole  ;  and  this  rfiismanagement  be- 
came the  more  to  be  regretted,  as  about  break 
of  day,  the  toll-house  on  the  country  side,  on  the 
end  of  it,  was  discovered  to  be  on  fire,  and  burned 
with  great  fury,  the  materials  being  of  deal ;  and 
pitch  and  tar  had  been  spread  over  the  entrance  of 
the  bridge,  to  increase  the  rapidity  of  the  flames 
Some  boat-loads  of  sailors  from  the  harbor  were  the 
first  that  ventured  to  extinguish  the  fire,  having 
taken  their  buckets  for  the  purpose.  These  found 
the  place  deserted,  as  the  business  had  been  exe- 
cuted by  a  party  of  about  twelve  insurgents,  who 
fled  at  their  approach.  The  sharp  smoke  from  the 
burning  wood,  drifted  by  the  wind,  which  blew  right 
along  the  bridge,  retarded  much  the  progress  of 
some  yeomen,  who  at  length  moved  towards  the 
fire  ;  but  these,  leaving  the  sailors  to  their  own  ex- 
ertions, made  a  cut  across  the  bridge,  at  some  dis- 
tance from  the  conflagration.  The  fire,  however, 
was  soon  put  out,  and  none  of  the  oak-beams,  that 
principally  support  the  bridge,  were  burned  through  ; 
the  floor  and  railings  only,  which  were  of  deal, 
being  consumed.      The  cries  of  the  women  and 


IRISH  REBELLION".  1^ 

children  throughout  the  town  were  so  dismal  and 
alarming  as  to  rouse  the  military  from  their  beds, 
when  they  had  scarcely  time  to  have  fallen  asleep, 
since  they  had  retired  from  their  several  posts,  to 
which  they  were  thus  summoned  back  in  a  hurry, 
to  repel  the  attack  of  an  enemy  which  was  every 
moment  expected.  The  insurgents  were  now  en- 
camped on  the  Three-rocks — the  end  of  the  low 
ridge  of  the  Mountain  of  Forth,  about  three  miles 
from  Wexford, — and  did  not  seem  so  willing  to  ad- 
vance as  was  apprehended  in  the  town. 

General  Fawcett  having  ordered  his  forces  to  fol- 
low, set  out  alone  from  Duncannon  Fort,  on  the 
evening  of  the  29lh,  and  stopped  at  Taghmon,  where 
he  lay  down  to  rest  until  his  advanced  guard  should 
arrive.  Captain  Adams,  of  the  Meath  mihtia,  with 
seventy  men  of  his  regiment,  and  Lieutenant  Birch, 
of  the  artillery,  with  two  howitzers,  arrived  from 
Duncannon  Fort  in  the  course  of  the  night,  at 
Taghmon,  where  not  finding,  as  they  expected,  the 
thirteenth  regiment,  nor  Meath  militia,  and  not 
knowing  any  thing  about  the  general,  after  a  short 
halt  they  marched  on  towards  Wexford,  apprehend- 
ing no  kind  of  interruption.  They  had  already  as- 
cended the  road  along  the  side  of  the  mountain  of 
Forth,  when  perceived  by  the  outposts  of  the  in- 
surgents, who  poured  down  upon  them  with  such 
rapidity,  that  they  were  in  a  few  minutes  cut  off, 
except  Ensign  Wade  and  sixteen  privates,  who 
were  taken  prisoners.  The  magazine  was  blown 
up  in  the  conflict,  which  circumstance  rendered  the 
howitzers  not  so  great  a  prize  as  they  otherwise 
would  have  been  to  the  victors.  General  Fawcett, 
on  getting  out  of  bed,  having  learned  the  fate  of  his 
advanced  guard,  ordered  the  thirteenth  and  the  rest 
of  the  troops,  who  had  by  this  time  come  up,  to  re- 


154  HISTORY  OF  THE 

treat  to  Duncannon  Fort,  whither  he  also  set  off  in 
great  haste  himself. 

From  Wexford,  in  the  course  of  the  morning, 
vast  crowds  of  people  were  observed  assembling  on 
the  high  ground  over  Ferry-bank,  at  the  country-side 
of  the  wooden-bridge,  which  contributed  not  a  little 
to  heighten  the  alarm  already  prevailing  in  the  town. 
The  different  posts  on  the  town-wall  were  guarded 
with  the  utmost  vigilance,  and  intrusted  to  the  pro- 
tection of  the  )''eomen  infantry,  supplementaries, 
and  armed  inhabitants,  while  the  North  Cork  mi- 
litia undertook  to  defend  the  barracks.  It  was  ex- 
pected that  General  Fawcett,  now  supposed  on  his 
march  from  Taghmon  to  Wexford,  must  fall  in  with 
the  insurgents,  and  thus  keep  them  so  well  em- 
ployed on  that  side  as  to  afford  a  favorable  oppor- 
tunity for  a  sally  from  the  town  to  attack  them  on 
the  other.  It  was,  therefore,  resolved  to  try  the 
success  of  this  manoeuvre,  and  accordingly.  Colonel 
Maxwell,  with  two  hundred  of  the  Donegal  militia, 
and  Colonel  Watson,  with  the  Wexford,  Ennis- 
corthy,  Taghmon,  Healthfield,  and  Shilmalier  yeo- 
men cavalry,  marched  out  to  the  encounter.  They 
had  advanced  as  far  as  Belmont,  when  Colonel 
Watson,  eager  to  reconnoitre,  proceeded  up  the  hill 
farther  than  prudence  would  permit,  and  was  shot 
from  one  of  the  outposts  of  the  insurgents.  The 
Donegal  militia  then  retreated  to  Wexford,  preceded 
by  the  cavalry,  who  pressed  upon  them  very  much 
along  the  road.  Immediately  after  this,  a  hasty 
council  of  war  was  held,  at  which  it  was  determined 
to  evacuate  the  town. 

A  general  and  gloomy  consternation  now  pre- 
vailed ;  every  countenance  appeared  clouded  and 
distrustful,  and  every  person  was  cautious  and  cir- 
cumspect how  he  spoke  or  acted,  as  all  confidence 


IRISH  REBELLION.  155 

was  entirely  done  away,  and  each  individual  thought 
only  of  his  own  personal  safety.  Some  yeomen 
and  supplementaries,  who  during  the  whole  of  the 
morning  had  been  stationed  in  the  street,  opposite 
the  jail,  were  heard  continually  to  threaten  to  put 
all  the  prisoners  to  death,  which  so  roused  the  atten- 
tion of  the  jailer  to  protect  his  charge,  that  he  bar- 
ricaded the  door,  and  on  hearing  of  a  surrender,  to 
manifest  more  strongly  the  sincerity  of  his  inten- 
tions, he  delivered  up  the  key  to  Mr.  Harvey.  This 
gentleman  was,  indeed,  so  apprehensive  of  violence, 
that  he  had  climbed  up  inside  a  chimney,  where  he 
had  lain  concealed  a  considerable  time,  when  some 
gentlemen  called  upon  him,  but  could  not  gain  ad- 
mittance until  they  gave  the  strongest  assurances  of 
their  pacific  intentions.  Upon  being  admitted  at 
length,  they  still  found  him  up  the  chimney,  and 
while  so  situated,  entreated  him  to  go  out  to  the 
camp  of  the  insurgents,  and  announce  to  them  the 
surrender  of  the  town,  on  condition  that  lives  and 
properties  should  be  spared.  Mr.  Harvey  made  an- 
swer, that  as  the  insurgents  on  the  Three-rocks 
were  not  from  his  neighborhood,  and  as  he  was  not 
himself  at  all  known  to  them,  he  imagined  he  could 
have  no  kind  of  influence  with  them,  adding,  that 
they  might  possibly  consider  him  even  as  an  enem}''. 
He  was  then  requested  to  write  to  them,  which  he 
declared  himself  willing  to  do  in  any  manner  that 
might  be  judged  most  advisable.  When  he  had 
thus  consented,  it  became  a  task  of  no  little  diffi- 
culty to  bring  him  out  of  his  lurking-place,  as  in  the 
descent  his  clothes  were  gathered  up  about  his 
shoulders,  so  that  it  required  good  assistance  to  pull 
him  out  of  the  chimney  by  the  heels.  When  he  had 
arranged  his  apparel,  and  adjusted  himself  so  as  to 
put  oft'  the  appearance  of  a  chimney-sweeper,  about 


156  HISTORY  OF  THE 

two  hours  before  the  troops  retreated  from  Wexford, 
Right  Hon.  George  Ogle,  captain  of  the  Shilnrialier 
infantry ;  Cornehus  Grogan  ;  John  Grogan,  captain 
of  the  Healthfield  cavalry ;  James  Boyd,  captain  of 
the  Wexford  cavalry ;  Solomon  Richards,  captain 
of  the  Enniscorthy  cavalry ;  Isaac  Cornock,  captain 
of  the  Scarawalsh  infantry,  and  Edward  Turner  of 
the  Shilmalier  cavalry — all  magistrates — along  with 
Lieutenant-colonel  Colville  of  the  thirteenth  regi- 
ment of  foot,  and  Lieutenant-colonel  Foote  of  the 
North  Cork  militia,  visited  Mr.  Harvey  in  the  jail, 
and  at  their  express  request,  he  wrote  the  following 
notice  to  the  insurgents  on  the  mountain  of  Forth : 

"  I  have  been  treated  in  prison  with  all  possible 
humanity,  and  am  now  at  liberty.  I  have  procured 
the  liberty  of  all  the  prisoners.  If  you  pretend  to 
Christian  charity,  do  not  commit  massacre,  or  burn 
the  property  of  the  inhabitants,  and  spare  your  prison- 
ers' lives. 

"B.  B.Harvey. 

"Wednesday,  30th  May,  1798." 

This  note  was  undertaken  to  be  forwarded  by 


Doyle,  a  yeoman  of  the  Healthfield  cavalry,  who  of- 
fered to  volunteer  on  this  hazardous  service,  when 
the  proposal  was  made  to  his  corps  by  Captain  John 
Grogan.  He  had  the  precaution  to  put  off  his  uni- 
form, and  to  dress  himself  in  colored  clothes  :  but 
when  ready  to  set  off  he  was  discovered  to  be  a  Ro- 
man Catholic,  and  therefore  reflected  upon,  for  so 
the  whisper  went  about,  "  How  could  a  papist  he 
trusted  /"  The  yeoman  finding  his  zeal  meet  with 
a  reception  so  contrary  to  his  expectation,  again 
put  on  his  uniform  and  retreated  with  his  captain  ; 
thus  proving  himself  to  the  full  as  loyal  as  any  of 


IRISH  REBELLION  157 

those  who  on  the  occasion  displayed  their  ilhberahty ; 
which  even  common  poHcy,  it  might  be  well  im- 
agined, should  repress  at  so  critical  a  juncture.  Dr. 
Jacob  then  proposed  the  enterprise  to  his  corps,  and 
Counsellor  Richards  with  his  brother  Mr.  Loftus 
Richards,  were  appointed  to  go  out  to  the  Tliree- 
rocks  on  this  expedition,  to  announce  the  surrender 
of  the  town  to  the  insurgents,  whose  camp  they 
reached  in  safety,  though  clad  in  full  uniform. 
Scarcely  had  these  deputies  set  out  upon  their  mis- 
sion, when  all  the  miUtary  corps,  a  part  of  one  only 
excepted,  made  the  best  of  their  way  out  of  the  town. 
Every  individual  of  them  seemed  to  partake  of  a 
general  panic,  and  set  off  whithersoever  they  im- 
agined they  could  find  safety,  without  even  acquaint- 
ing their  neighbors  on  duty  of  their  intentions.  The 
principal  inhabitants  whose  services  had  been  accept- 
ed of  for  the  defence  of  the  town  were  mostly  Catho- 
lics, and,  according  to  the  prevalent  system,  were 
subject  to  the  greatest  insults  and  reflections.  They 
w^ere  always  placed  in  front  of  the  posts,  and  cau- 
tioned to  behave  well,  or  that  death  should  be  the 
consequence.  Accordingly,  persons  were  placed  be- 
hind them  to  keep  them  to  their  duty,  and  these  were 
so  watchful  to  their  charge,  that  they  would  not  even 
permit  them  to  turn  about  their  heads  ;  and  yet  these 
determined  heroes  were  the  very  first  to  run  off  on 
the  apprehended  approach  of  real  danger.  Thus  were 
the  armed  inhabitants  left  at  their  posts,  abandoned 
by  their  officers,  and  actually  ignorant  of  the  flight  of 
the  soldiery,  until  the  latter  had  been  miles  out  of 
the  town,  and  were  therefore  left  no  possible  means 
of  retreating.  Lieutenant  William  Hughes  of  the 
Wexford  infantry,  with  a  few  of  his  corps,  was,  it 
seems,  the  only  part  of  the  military  left  uninformed 
of  the  intended  retreat,  and  this  was  owing  to  his  be- 
14 


158  HISTORY  OF  THE 

ing  detached  with  these  few  yeomen  to  defend  a  dis- 
tant part  of  the  town-wall,  and  he  and  they  were  ap- 
prized of  their  situation,  as  were  also  the  armed  in- 
habitants, only  by  the  approach  of  the  insurgents  ;  so 
that  Mr.  Hughes  and  his  few  yeomen,  together  with 
the  armed  inhabitants,  are  the  only  people  that  can 
be  said  not  to  have  abandoned  their  posts  in  Wex- 
ford on  this  occasion.  The  confusion  and  dismay 
which  prevailed  were  so  great,  as  no  kind  of  signal  for 
retreat  had  been  given,  that  officers  and  privates  ran 
promiscuously  through  the  town,  threw  off  their  uni- 
forms, and  hid  themselves  wherever  they  thought 
they  could  be  best  concealed.  Some  ran  to  the  dif- 
ferent quays,  in  expectation  of  finding  boats  to  con- 
vey them  off,  and  threw  their  arms  and  ammunition 
into  the  water.  All  such  as  could  accomplish  it  em- 
barked on  board  the  vessels  in  the  harbor,  having 
previously  turned  their  horses  loose.  Some  ran  to 
the  jail  to  put  themselves  under  the  protection  of  Mr. 
Harvey.  Officers,  magistrates,  and  yeomen  of  every 
description  thus  severally  endeavored  to  escape  popu- 
lar vengeance;  and  in  the  contrivance  of  changing  ap- 
parel, as  there  was  not  a  sufficiency  of  men's  clothes 
at  hand  for  all  those  who  sought  safety  by  this  means, 
female  attire  was  substituted  for  the  purpose  of  dis- 
guise. In  short,  it  is  impossible  that  a  greater  ap- 
pearance of  confusion,  tumult,  or  panic  could  be  at 
all  exhibited.  The  North  Cork  regiment  on  quitting 
the  barracks  set  them  on  fire,  which,  however,  was 
immediately  put  out.  Lieutenants  Bowen  and  Paye, 
with  Ensign  Harman,  and  some  sergeants  and  pri- 
vates of  this  regiment,  remained  in  the  town. 

It  has  been  already  observed,  that  thousands  of  peo- 
ple were  seen  to  assemble,  during  the  entire  morning, 
on  a  hill  over  Ferry-bank,  marching  and  countermarch- 
ing in  hostile  appearance,  and  seemingly  waiting  only 


IRISH  REBELLION.  159 

for  the  moment  that  the  town  would  be  abandoned 
by  the  miUtary,  to  take  possession  of  it  themselves ; 
but  their  entrance,  when  this  took  place,  was  retard- 
ed, until  boards  were  procured  to  supply  the  place  of 
the  flooring  of  the  wooden-bridge  where  it  had  been 
burnt.  In  the  mean  time,  Messrs.  Richards,  after 
having  run  great  risk,  arrived  at  the  camp  at  Three- 
rocks,  and  making  known  that  they  were  deputed  to 
inform  the  people  that  the  town  of  Wexford  would 
be  surrendered  to  them  on  condition  of  sparing  lives 
and  properties ;  these  terms  would  not  be  complied 
with,  unless  the  arms  and  ammunition  of  the  garri- 
son were  also  surrendered.  Mr.  Loftus  Richards 
was  therefore  detained  as  a  hostage,  and  Counsellor 
Richards  and  Mr.  Fitzgerald  were  sent  back  to  the 
town,  to  settle  and  arrange  the  articles  of  capitulation ; 
but  these  gentlemen  on  their  arrival,  to  their  great  as- 
tonishment, found  the  place  abandoned  by  the  mili- 
Vdry.  The  bridge  being  at  this  time  nearly  made 
passable,  the  vast  concourse  of  people  that  had  col- 
lected at  the  other  side  of  the  Slaney,  was  just  ready 
to  pour  in  and  take  unconditional  possession  of  the 
town.  It  was  therefore  necessary  to  treat  with  these, 
(it  being  yet  unknown  who  they  were,)  in  order  to 
prevent  the  mischiefs  likely  to  ensue  from  such  a  tu- 
multuary influx  of  people.  Doctor  Jacob,  then  may- 
or of  the  town  and  captain  of  the  Wexford  infantry, 
therefore  entreated  Mr.  Fitzgerald  to  move  towards 
the  bridge,  and  announce  to  the  people  rushing  in 
that  the  town  was  surrendered  ;  and  to  use  every 
other  argument,  that  his  prudence  might  suggest,  to 
make  their  entry  as  peaceable  as  possible.  Mr.  Fitz- 
gerald complied,  and  instantly  after  this  communica- 
tion thousands  of  people  poured  into  the  town  over 
the  wooden-bridge,  shouting  and  exhibiting  all  marks 
of  extravagant  and  victorious  exultation.     They  first 


160  HISTORY  OF  THE 

proceeded  to  the  jail,  released  all  the  prisoners,  and 
insisted  that  Mr.  Harvey  should  become  their  com- 
mander. All  the  houses  in  town  not  abandoned  by 
the  inhabitants  now  became  decorated  with  green 
boughs,  or  green  ornaments  of  one  description  or  an- 
other. The  doors  were  universally  thrown  open,  and 
the  most  liberal  offers  made  of  spirits  and  drink  of 
every  kind,  which,  however,  were  not  as  freely  ac- 
cepted, until  the  persons  offering  had  first  drunk 
themselves,  as  a  proof  that  the  liquor  was  not  poi- 
soned, a  report  having  prevailed  to  that  effect ;  and 
which  was  productive  of  this  good  consequence,  that 
it  prevented  rapid  intoxication,  and  of  course,  in  the 
beginning,  lamentable  excesses. 

The  insurgents  having  now  got  complete  posses- 
sion of  the  town  of  Wexford,  many  persons  who  had 
been  yeomen,  after  having  thrown  off  their  uniforms, 
affected  a  cordial  welcome  for  them,  and  endeavored 
by  an  exhibition  of  all  the  signs  and  emblems  of  the 
United  Irishmen,  to  convince  them  of  their  sivorn 
friendship  ;  and  it  is  indeed  not  a  little  remarkable, 
that  many  of  those  who,  in  this  change  of  affairs, 
boldly  marched  out  as  occasion  demanded,  to  meet 
the  king's  forces,  now  display  themselves  as  stanch 
Orangemen  of  unimpeachable  loyalty  Almost  every 
person  in  the  town  threw  open  their  doors  with  offers 
of  refreshment  and  accommodation  to  the  insurgents; 
and  the  few  who  did  not  suffered  by  plunder,  their  sub- 
stance being  considered  as  enemies'  property.  Some 
of  all  descriptions  indeed  suffered  in  their  property 
by  plunder,  on  deserting  their  houses,  and  leaving 
none  to  protect  or  take  care  of  them.  The  house 
of  Captain  Boyd  was  a  singular  exception.  It  was, 
though  not  deserted,  pillaged,  and  exhibited  marks 
of  the  hatred  and  vengeance  of  the  people. 

As  the  station  of  the  insurgents' camp  on  the  Three- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  161 

rocks,  on  the  eastern  end  of  the  mountain  of  Forth, 
only  three  miles  from  Wexford,  commanded  a  full 
view  of  the  conflagrations  and  other  excesses  com- 
mitted by  the  military,  it  required  the  utmost  exer- 
tion and  prudential  efforts  of  their  chiefs,  and  of 
others  in  whom  they  placed  any  confidence,  to  pre- 
vent them  from  rushing  into  the  town  and  taking  in- 
considerate vengeance,  being  utterly  ignorant  of  its 
abandonment  by  the  troops,  and  unacquainted  with 
the  fact  of  its  being  possessed  by  a  different  party. 
They  entered  the  town,  however,  in  tolerable  temper, 
but  all  moderation  was  banished  upon  discovering 
that  the  arms  and  ammunition  had  not  been  surren- 
dered, so  that  it  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  the 
town  was  preserved  from  being  set  on  fire  and  con- 
sumed ;  the  inhabitants  being  charged  with  treason 
for  not  insisting  on  and  seeing  this  article  executed. 
After  various  scenes  of  disorder,  hurr}%  and  confu- 
sion, naturally  attendant  on  such  occasions,  parties 
were  dispatched  in  boats  to  bring  on  shore  all  the 
men,  arms,  and  ammunition  they  could  find  in  the 
ships,  and  other  vessels  in  the  harbor,  which  in  the 
morning  had  fallen  down  towards  the  bar,  neither 
wind  nor  tide  being  favorable  ;  two  only  out  of  the 
whole  had  actually  sailed  for  Wales.  By  these 
means,  all  the  men,  as  well  yeomen  as  other  inhab- 
itants, were  directly  brought  on  shore  in  the  evening, 
and  the  vessels  with  the  women  and  children  imme- 
diately followed  to  the  quay. 

Amidst  this  scene  of  tumult  and  confusion,  not 
easily  conceivable  to  any  one  who  has  not  witnessed 
popular  commotion,  while  all  wished  to  accommodate 
themselves  as  much  as  possible  to  the  exigency  of 
the  moment,  and  to  appear  the  friends  of  their  newly 
denominated  conquerors,  it  was  ludicrous  to  observe 
a  gorgeous  military  uniform  clandestinely  changed 
14* 


162  HISTORY  OF  THE 

for  loathsome,  tattered  rags,  with  more  address  and 
expedition  than  actors  on  the  dramatic  stage  assume 
different  dresses  and  appearances. 

Among  those  brought  on  shore  from  the  ships,  was 
Mr.  John  Boyd,  brother  to  Captain  James  Boyd,  of 
the  Wexford  cavalry.  He  was  immediately  recog- 
nised ;  and  he  and  his  family  being  obnoxious  to  the 
people,  he  ran  off  on  landing,  was  chased,  overtaken, 
piked,  and  left  for  dead,  but  he  lived  in  excruciating 
agony  until  the  next  morning,  when  he  expired.  I 
had  been  brought  out  of  one  of  the  ships  myself,  and, 
on  landing,  was  proceeding  through  the  general  con- 
fusion, when,  arrivmg  near  the  bull-ring,  a  man  of 
the  name  of  George  Sparrow,  a  butcher  from  Ennis- 
corthy,  chased  by  the  people  through  the  streets,  ran 
up  to  me  and  clasped  me  round  the  body,  imploring 
protection — beseeching  I  might  save  him.  I  instantly 
endeavored  as  much  as  in  my  power  to  give  him  suc- 
cor, and  to  defend  him  by  extending  my  arms  and 
body  over  him,  while  swords  and  pikes  were  pointed 
and  brandished  for  his  destruction;  but  my  endeavors 
proving  ineffectual,  and  rather  dangerous  to  myself, 
and  the  unfortunate  man  perceiving  I  could  not  afford 
the  protection  I  intended,  burst  from  me,  and  while  I 
lay  prostrate  in  the  street,  occasioned  by  his  effort  to 
get  off,  he  had  not  run  many  yards  when  he  was  de- 
prived of  existence.  Some  ladies  who  were  so  situ- 
ated at  the  instant  as  to  be  spectators  of  the  scene, 
have  since  assured  me,  they  thought  I  had  been  also 
killed  at  that  moment ;  and,  considering  the  dreadful 
circumstances,  I  think  it  most  providential  that,  when 
thrown  down,  I  was  not  regarded  as  the  devoted  vic- 
tim by  the  infuriate  populace.  To  describe  my  feel- 
ings on  this  occasion,  would  be  utterly  impossible. 
Ushered  into  the  town  against  my  will,  to  witness,  in 
the  first  onset,  such  a  specimen  of  popular  vengeance. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  163 

and  naturally  imagining  that  acts  of  the  like  violence 
were  perpetrating  in  every  quarter  of  the  town,  I 
could  have  but  little  expectation  of  escape  ;  particu- 
larly when  the  dreadful  denunciation  resounded  in 
my  ears,  that  the  people  would  put  every  one  to 
death  who  Vvould  dare  to  decline  joining  them ;  and, 
indeed,  in  consequence  of  this  menacing  cry,  many 
gentlemen  who  boast  of  loyal  acts,  (the  very  contrary 
of  truth,)  I  have  observed  to  go  further  on  the  oppo- 
site side  than  could  be  considered,  either  since  or 
before,  consistent  with  their  honor  or  their  safety. 

The  town  of  Wexford  was  not  only  most  shame- 
fully abandoned,  but  even  surrendered,  to  all  intents 
and  purposes,  when  it  might  have  been  easily  de- 
fended, although  no  one  will  now  acknowledge  having 
been  concerned  in  so  scandalous  a  transaction  ;  and, 
notwithstanding  that  the  very  persons  who  ought  to 
have  been  its  most  strenuous  protectors,  from  their 
situation  and  circumstances,  were  not  only  the  first 
to  yield  it,  and  fly  so  clandestinely  as  to  put  it  utterly 
out  of  the  power  of  all  others  besides  themselves  to 
retreat,  but  left  even  their  own  wives  and  families  to 
the  mercy  of  an  irritated  and  ungovernable  multitude. 
In  any  other  countr)%  such  a  manifest  dereliction  of 
duty  would  be  punished  in  the  most  exemplary  man- 
ner— the  lives  of  such  craven  deserters  would  be 
forfeited  for  the  miseries  they  occasioned ;  but  in  ill- 
fated  Ireland,  a  display  of  unprincipled  enmity  and 
illiberal  animosity  to  the  great  bulk  of  its  people,  con- 
stitutes loyalty  and  desert  sufficient  to  wipe  away  the 
blame  of  misconduct,  and  even  to  obliterate  the  in- 
delible stigma  of  cowardice.  The  conduct  of  the  in- 
habitants of  Wexford,  in  accommodating  themselves 
to  the  circumstances  of  the  moment,  after  their  aban- 
donment, must  be  considered  as  totally  blameless ; 
particularly  of  such  as  subsequently  took  the  earliest 


164  HISTORY  OF  THE 

opportunity  of  returning  to  their  allegiance.  Of  all 
laws,  that  of  self-preservation  is  acknowledged  the 
most  imperious,  and  to  attain  this  in  times  of  civil 
commotion,  compliance  with  the  exigency  of  the  in- 
stant is  indispensable,  and  warranted  by  the  irresis- 
tible force  of  necessity ;  for  otherwise,  as  all  moral 
writers  agree,  there  would  be  an  end  of  justice  and 
civilization.  Allowances  have  certainly  been  made 
for  numbers,  whose  conduct,  in  an  abstract  point  of 
view,  w^as  evidently  treasonable,  but  perfectly  excu- 
sable, considering  the  situation  in  which  they  were 
placed,  by  the  fundamental  laws  of  all  nations  of 
regulated  societ3\  But  why  an  exculpation  should 
hold  good  for  some  individuals,  and  not  for  all  those 
in  a  similar  predicament,  is  a  paradox  not  happily 
explained  by  arguments  derived  from  the  sources  of 
bigotry  and  religious  prejudice.  Wiih  cordial  satis- 
faction I  acknowledge  it  perfectly  just,  that  Protest- 
ants have  been  generally  exculpated  of  treason,  on 
the  ground  of  the  urgency  of  circumstances,  but  why 
Cathohcs  should  be  excluded  from  the  like  charitable 
consideration,  will  not  be  fairly  or  easily  answered 
by  those  who  w'ould  fain  exhibit  the  unfortunate  con- 
test of  this  period — a  war  of  religion,  which,  upon 
the  whole,  had  but  very  little  to  do  in  it,  till  forced 
into  action  by  the  upholders  of  prejudice. 

Those  of  the  military  who  first  retreated  from 
Wexford  were  part  of  the  North  Cork  regiment, 
commanded  by  Captain  Snowe,  and  the  Scarawalsh 
infantry  under  Captain  Cornock.  These  in  their 
flight  met  Mr.  Colclough  with  his  lady  in  a  phaeton, 
coming  to  release  Mr.  Harvey,  by  taking  his  place 
in  the  jail,  according  to  his  promise  the  preceding 
evening.  On  falling  in  with  the  troops,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Colclough  were  ordered  to  wheel  about,  and 
led  along,  while  swords  drawn  and  pistols  cocked 


IRISH  REBELLION.  165 

threatened  their  Hves  on  either  side,  if  the  people 
should  attempt  to  attack  the  mihtary.  Mr.  Colclough 
was  frequently  ordered  to  stand  up  and  wave  his  hat 
to  several  groups  who  were  seen  collected  on  the 
rising  grounds,  led  by  curiosity,  from  the  disturbed 
state  of  the  country,  to  observe  what  was  going  for- 
ward. These  signals  were  for  the  people  not  to  ap- 
proach, with  which  they  complied,  and  so  the  par- 
lies got  safe  to  the  Scar  at  Barrystown  ;  where  Mr. 
Colclough  and  his  lady  were  dismissed  without  fur- 
ther violence.  The  next  division  of  the  mihtary 
who  made  their  appearance  at  the  Scar  were  part 
of  the  Wexford  cavalry  under  Captain  Boyd,  who 
had  himself  it  seems  at  first  attempted  to  get  off  by 
sea  ;  but  notwithstanding  that  he  most  pathetically 
entreated  a  friend  of  his,  who  had  just  put  off  in  a 
boat  only  a  few  yards  from  the  quay,  to  return  and 
take  him  on  board,  yet  so  strongly  did  the  motive  of 
self-preservation  operate  upon  the  person,  that  he  re 
fused  to  comply.  The  captain  then  seized  upon  his 
horse,  which  he  had  before  turned  loose,  mounted 
directly,  and  overtook  Colonel  Maxwell  on  the  road, 
with  whom  however  he  did  not  continue  ;  but  drove 
forward  with  all  speed  till  he  arrived  at  Mr.  King's 
of  Barrystown.  After  getting  some  refreshment 
here,  he  and  some  favorites  of  his  corps  embarked 
on  board  a  boat,  the  tide  being  too  high  to  pass  oth- 
erwise, and  so  proceeded  in  safety  to  Duncannon 
Fort.  Mr.  Colclough  met  several  of  these  flying 
gentry  at  Barrystown,  and  the  impression  of  their 
fears  was  such,  that  they  all  declared  that  a  revolu- 
tion must  inevitably  succeed  in  the  nation,  for  that 
as  the  rising  was  general,  (so  they  then  supposed  it 
to  be,)  nothing  could  withstand  the  people.  Tliey 
even  congratulated  Mr.  Colclough  on  the  happiness 
of  not  being  obliged  to  quit  his  country,  as  he  had 


166  HISTORY  OF  THE 

taken  no  active  part  against  the  people,  and  as  his 
recent  confinement,  on  suspicion  of  being  their  friend, 
was  greatly  in  his  favor.  They  next  pathetically, 
many  of  them  in  sobs  and  tears,  lamented  the  unfor- 
tunate necessity  under  which  they  lay  of  quitting 
their  native  land,  as  they  feared  the  people  would 
consider  their  former  exertions  so  inimical  to  their 
interests,  as  to  render  it  unsafe  for  them  to  remain 
in  the  country ;  and  after  this  they  took  a  cordial 
leave  of  Mr.  Colclough.  The  escape  of  Archibald 
Hamilton  Jacob  was  most  wonderful,  as  when  he 
had  gone  out  with  the  troops  that  advanced  towards 
the  Three-rocks,  before  any  others  had  thoughts  of 
retreating,  he  got  off  under  the  mountain,  and  by 
keeping  by-roads,  he  most  providentially  arrived  in 
Ross,  where,  considering  the  state  of  the  country, 
he  did  not  stop,  but  hastened  to  Waterford,  and  was 
finally  induced  to  sail  for  England. 

Had  the  retreaters  had  the  presence  of  mind  to  wait 
at  the  Scar  until  the  tide  should  have  fallen,  they 
would  have  been  able  to  have  proceeded  with  much 
greater  ease  tlian  they  did  to  Duncannon  Fort.  Their 
halting  there  would  probably  have  enabled  many  of 
the  stragglers  (numbers  of  whom  were  cut  off)  to 
come  up  with  them,  and  it  would  have  taken  much 
less  time  than  it  did  by  the  circuitous  route  which 
they  adopted  ;  but  their  panic  and  trepidation  were 
such,  that  they  believed  the  insurgents  were  at  their 
heels,  which  brought  them  into  great  hardships,  du- 
ring a  confused  and  precipitate  flight,  continued  even 
through  the  night,  which  occasioned  many  to  lag 
behind,  who  thereby  became  devoted  victims  of  de- 
struction ;  the  cause  of  which  we  shall  presently 
have  occasion  to  mention.  The  last  of  the  military 
that  left  Wexford  were  the  Donegal  militia,  com- 
manded by  Colonel  Maxwell,  accompanied  by  Col- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  167 

onel  Colville,  Captain  Younge,  and  Lieutenant  So- 
den,  of  the  thirteenth  foot ;  the  remaining  part  of 
the  North  Cork  regiment,  headed  by  Colonel  Foote, 
the  Shihnalier  yeomen  infantry,  under  the  Right 
Hon.  George  Ogle,  and  the  Enniscorthy  infantry, 
under  Captain  Pounden,  with  some  of  the  Wexford 
infantry,  some  of  the  Wexford,  Shilmalier,  and  En- 
niscorthy cavalry  ;  and  the  rear  was  brought  up  by 
the  Healthfield  cavalry,  under  Captain  John  Grogan, 
who  covered  the  retreat.  These  were  followed  and 
overtaken  by  Captain  Boyd,  and  a  few  of  his  troop, 
who  pushed  forward  till  they  came  up  with  the  van 
of  the  retreaters  as  before  related. 

Great  numbers  of  people,  from  motives  of  curios- 
ity, assembled  in  different  groups  to  view  the  mili- 
tary in  their  passage  through  the  country,  not  im- 
agining that  they  should  be  any  more  molested  than 
they  had  been  by  the  first  parties  who  passed  them 
quietly  by  ;  and  had  any  general  orders  to  this  effect 
been  issued  to  the  retreating  troops,  it  is  probable 
they  would  have  been  attended  to  and  productive  of 
good  effect ;  but  although  Colonel  Colville  did  all  in 
his  power  to  prevent  the  soldiery  from  firing  on  the 
people,  yet  his  humane  and  wise  remonstrances 
were  not  successful.  The  first  victims  of  military 
fury,  however,  on  the  retreat,  were  two  men  found 
with  arms  in  a  house  in  Wexford,  near  where  the 
Shilmalier  yeomen  infantry,  commanded  by  the 
Right  Hon.  George  Ogle,  had  been  stationed  in  the 
town.  These  upon  the  evacuation  were  brought 
away  by  the  corps  and  shot  at  Maglass,  where  the 
soldiers,  giving  a  loose  to  their  rage,  pursued  the 
unoffending  populace,  and  shot  numbers  of  them, 
who  endeavored  to  conceal  themselves  in  the  ditches, 
which  were  well  searched  for  their  discovery.  The 
Roman  Catholic  chapel  of  Maglass  was  set  on  fire,  as 


168  HISTORY  OF  THE 

were  a  great  many  other  houses  in  the  course  of 
their  march,  while  others  were  plundered  ;  and  not 
a  countryman  that  was  seen  and  overtaken  could  es- 
cape being  sacrificed  to  military  vengeance  :  nay, 
not  unfrequently  did  neither  feminine  weakness  nor 
helpless  infancy  afford  protection,  as  they  obtained 
in  several  instances  no  mercy  from  the  indiscriminate 
fury  of  the  retreating  troops,  who  immolated  some 
of  the  women  and  children  of  the  aifrighted  peasant- 
ry as  they  fell  in  their  way.  These  acts  of  unpro- 
voked, cold-blooded,  and  unmanly  cruelty,  were 
avenged  on  the  poor  stragglers  who  were  by  any 
casualty  separated  from  the  retreating  body,  as  the 
exasperated  country  people,  goaded  as  they  had  been, 
considered  every  person  in  a  militaiy  garb  as  a  san- 
guinary and  relentless  enemy.  Several  soldiers  who 
had  been  followed  by  their  wives  and  children,  were 
induced  to  stay  behind  to  afford  them  assistance  on 
so  distressing  a  march,  which  cost  many  of  them 
their  lives  ;  but  none  of  the  women  or  children  were 
intentionally  hurt  by  the  people  :  even  some  children 
who  were  abandoned  by  or  lost  their  parents  on  this 
occasion,  are  still  remaining  in  the  country,  cherish- 
ed and  protected  by  the  inhabitants.  The  tide  still 
continuing;  too  hio"h  at  the  Scar  for  even  the  rear  of 
the  retreating  troops  to  pass,  they  took  the  like  cir- 
cuitous route  with  the  rest,  and  arrived  at  Duncan^ 
non  Fort  on  the  morning  of  the  31st  of  May,  worn 
out  with  hardship  and  fatigue,  having  lost  many  of 
their  men,  and  in  the  utmost  confusion  and  disorder. 
On  the  night  of  the  30lh,  the  town  of  Wexford, 
considering  all  that  had  happened,  was  remarkably 
quiet,  all  finding  repose  necessary  after  their  various 
hardships.  In  the  evening,  vast  numbers  went  to 
visit  their  several  dwellings  in  the  country,  to  be  in- 
formed of  the  condition  of  their  families  and  proper- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  169 

ties  ;  but  very  early  on  the  morning  of  the  31  si,  the 
streets  were  as  crowded  as  before,  and  the  confusion 
and  plunder  of  the  day  preceding  now  recommenced. 
The  people  were  much  discontented  with  the  inhab- 
itants for  not  detaining  for  their  use  the  arms  and 
ammunition  of  the  garrison ;  as  the  entire  of  their 
military  stores  at  this  time  amounted  to  no  more  than 
three  barrels  of  gunpowder  found  in  the  barracks,  a 
few  hundreds  of  cartridges,  with  some  odd  casks  and 
pounds  of  powder  found  in  shops  and  gentlemen's 
houses.  Their  discontent  soon  proceeded  to  threats 
against  different  individuals,  and  among  the  rest 
against  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  who  had  gone  home  the 
night  before,  and  was  not  as  yet  returned.  He  was 
at  once  accused  of  having  betrayed  the  people  ;  ven- 
geance was  vowed  against  him,  and  he  w^as  threaten- 
ed with  instant  death.  On  his  appearance  soon  af- 
ter, however,  the  ferment  subsided  as  instantaneous- 
ly and  unaccountably  as  it  had  at  first  originated. 
The  principal  inhabitants  of  Wexford  very  naturally 
wished  to  get  rid  of  these  troublesome  intruders,  and 
to  effect  this  desirable  object,  such  of  the  better  sort 
as  had  any  influence  with  the  multitude,  lent  their 
cordial  assistance,  and  they  at  length  succeeded. 
The  insurgents  were  induced  to  move  out  of  the 
town  and  encamp  on  the  Windmill-hills  ;  where,  af- 
ter much  confused  consultation,  they  divided  into 
two  bodies,  one  of  which,  consisting  of  those  who  in- 
habited the  Wexford  side  of  the  Slaney,  marched  to 
Taghmon.  As  in  such  a  mixed  multitude  there 
must  be  many  of  all  dispositions,  it  is  not  wonderful 
that  there  were  some  who  would  incite  to  and  prac- 
tise outrage.  Some  of  this  description  of  persons 
hunted  for  Orangemen,  whom  they  denominated  their 
enemies;  while  others,  imitating  the  conduct  of  the 
miUlary  on  the  day  before,  but  in  a  far  less  degree, 
15 


170  HISTORY  OF  THE 

plundered  private  property,  burned  the  houses  of  four 
respectable  farmers,  and  put  one  man  to  death  on 
their  way  to  Taghmon,  outside  of  which  town  they 
encamped  for  that  night.  The  other  division  of  the 
insurgents,  consisting  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  part 
of  the  county  north  of  the  Slaney,  directed  their 
march  towards  Gorey ;  and  in  the  course  of  their 
progress,  burned  the  houses  of  some  whom  they 
considered  as  enemies,  plundered  others,  and  en- 
camped that  night  on  the  hill  of  Carrigrew.  The 
encampment  on  Vinegar  Hill,  by  the  by,  continued 
a  permanent  one  during  the  whole  period  of  the  in- 
surrection. 

As  it  is  an  incontrovertible  fact  that,  before  this 
period,  there  were  fewer  United  Irishmen  in  the 
county  of  Wexford  than  in  any  other  part  of  Ireland, 
and  these  few  only  sworn,  as  has  been  already  ob- 
served, in  a  detached  manner,  unconnected  by  any 
organization,  it  is  amazing  to  think  with  what  suc- 
cess the  insurrection  appears  to  have  been  attended 
in  its  commencement ;  that  a  people  thus  roused  all 
of  a  sudden,  without  any  previous  preparation, 
should  gain  such  signal  advantages.  If  further  proof 
were  at  all  necessary  of  the  little  progress  made  by 
the  system  of  the  United  Irishmen  in  the  county  of 
Wexford,  anterior  to  the  rising,  in  addition  to  no  re- 
turn of  numbers  being  even  stated  to  have  been 
made  from  thence  by  any  leaders,  that  proof  would 
be  amply  supplied  by  the  vast  numbers  that  eagerly 
came  forward,  desiring  to  be  sworn,  upon  these  first 
successes  ;  for,  in  the  existing  state  of  the  country, 
at  this  juncture  when  men's  minds  were  totally  un- 
masked and  all  disguise  thrown  away,  it  may  be 
fairly  implied,  that  all  who  might  have  been  previ- 
ously sworn  would  not  fail  to  come  forward  and  take 
advantage  of  such  circumstances,  by  boasting  in  the 


IRISH  REBELLION.  17l 

moment  of  exultation,  of  prior  concern  in  a  system 
then  considered  universal!}'  prevalent  through  the 
island,  and  of  the  final  success  of  which  the  least 
doubt  was  not  entertained  at  this  period :  besides,  at 
this  crisis  it  is  natural  to  conclude  that  had  any  or- 
ganization iieretofore  existed,  the  chosen  chiefs  would 
be  induced  to  declare  themselves  and  assume  their 
stations  ;  for  had  they  concurred  in  their  appointment 
when  they  ran  every  risk  of  legal  punishment,  be- 
fore the  actual  breaking  out  of  the  insurrection,  now 
that  it  was  believed  victorious  and  universal,  they 
must  feel  every  encouragement  to  act  without  re- 
serve and  with  their  utmost  vigor  ;  but  the  fact  was 
absolutely  otherwise,  as  most  of  the  leaders  through- 
out the  disturbances  in  Wexford,  acted  in  their  sev- 
eral stations  from  the  irresistible  force  of  compulsion 
and  constraint  after  it  had  actually  existed  ;  whatever 
representations  by  surmise  or  presumption  may  have 
appeared  to  the  contrary.  Another  circumstance  of 
general  misrepresentation  is,  that  the  insurrection  in 
the  county  of  Wexford  was  connected  with  the  dis- 
turbances in  other  parts  of  the  nation,  while  nothing 
can  be  more  contrary  to  truth  ;  as  on  the  arrest  of 
the  Leinster  delegates,  assembled  at  a  provincial 
meeting  in  Bridge-street,  in  Dublin,  on  the  12th  of 
March,  1798,  there  was  not  a  delegate  or  any  return 
of  numbers  from  the  county  of  Wexford,  as  evident- 
ly appears  from  the  reports  of  the  secret  committees 
of  both  houses  of  the  Irish  parliament ;  and,  during 
the  whole  period  of  its  continuance,  this  county  was 
beset  on  all  sides  with  troops,  so  as  to  be  completely 
insulated,  and  therefore  no  efficient  intercourse  could 
exist  between  it  and  any  other  part  of  Ireland ;  for 
scarcely  any  one  could,  in  passing  to  or  from  it,  es- 
cape detection  save  in  a  very  few  instances,  in  which, 
whether  by  connivance  or  otherwise,   some  persons 


172  HISTORY  OF  THE 

from  the  adjoining  counties  passed  into  it,  and  some 
of  the  natives  out  of  it ;  but  as  neither  returned  to 
their  respective  homes  during  the  time  specified, 
such  instances  cannot  effectually  militate  against  the 
general  position  here  laid  down,  from  incontroverti- 
ble facts,  in  opposition  to  any  unqualified  assertion 
and  groundless  conjecture  :  in  fact,  as  there  was  no 
preconcerted  plan  of  insurrection  in  the  county  of 
Wexford,  there  was  no  similarity  of  circumstances 
or  occasion  between  that  and  the  commotion  in  any 
other  part  of  Ireland,  except  in  the  casual  incidents 
of  their  happening  at  the  same  time,  and  that  perhaps 
the  people  of  other  counties  expected  like  effects 
from  their  own  conduct  with  those  hoped  for  by  the 
people  of  the  county  of  Wexford  from  their  own,  to 
rescue  themselves  from  apprehended  extermination, 
■which  they  thought  could  not  be  effected  otherwise 
than  by  the  most  determined  resistance.  These 
facts  are  thus  stated  to  disabuse  the  public,  as  the 
direct  contrary,  on  mere  surmise,  has  been  roundly 
asserted  and  pretty  generally  believed  through  exag- 
gerated misrepresentation. 

Now,  that  the  insurrection  of  the  county  of  Wex- 
ford was  at  its  height,  there  existed  no  kind  of  subor- 
dination or  control ;  individuals  assumed  the  privi- 
lege of  indulging  their  own  dispositions,  and  of  grati- 
fying private  malice.  The  unruly  populace  were 
furious  and  ungovernable,  and  many  of  this  descrip- 
tion remained  m  Wexford  after  the  great  body  of  the 
insurgents  had  retired  from  the  town  :  they  seized 
upon  and  lodged  in  the  jail  many  persons  from  all 
parts  of  the  surrounding  country,  who  had  fled  thither 
for  protection,  and  were  now  endeavoring  to  conceal 
themselves  in  the  different  houses  of  their  friends,  to 
escape  popular  resentment.  Many  former  piques, 
liowever  remote  or  trivial   they  might  have  been, 


IRISH  REBELLION.  173 

were  avenged  in  this  manner ;  so  that  on  the  31st  of 
May,  the  jail  of  Wexford  became  absolutely  crowd- 
ed. On  this  very  day  Mr.  Harvey,  who  had  been 
released  from  confinement  by  the  people,  as  soon  as 
they  took  possession  of  the  town,  and  was  by  them 
appointed,  whether  he  would  or  no,  their  commander- 
in-chief,  had  engaged  several  gentlemen,  among  whom 
there  were  many  apprehensive  of  popular  violence, 
to  an  entertainment  at  his  former  lodgings,  which  he 
had  then  resumed  ;  and  all  these  he  naturally  sup- 
posed under  effectual  protection  with  him,  from  the 
nature  of  his  appointment,  against  all  popular  out- 
rage ;  but  he  soon  had  lamentable  proof  how  ground- 
less were  his  fond  expectations.  In  the  evening, 
soon  after  dinner,  a  great  mob  of  country  people  as- 
sembled in  the  street  before  the  house,  some  of  whom 
knocked  violently  at  the  door,  and  insisted  that  Mr. 
Turner,  whom  they  knew  to  be  within,  should  be 
delivered  up  to  ihem  to  be  put  to  death,  for  having 
burned  some  of  their  houses.  I  was  one  of  those 
invited  by  Mr.  Harvey,  and,  as  Mr.  Turner  was  a 
most  particular  friend  of  mine,  I  instantly  went  out, 
and  was,  as  I  fondly  imagined,  so  far  successful  as 
to  prevail  on  the  populace  to  retire  ;  but  to  my  great 
mortification  they  returned  shortly  after,  and  insisted 
with  redoubled  violence  on  Mr.  Turner's  being 
brought  out  to  them.  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  who  had  now 
come  to  my  assistance,  and  myself,  urged  every  ar- 
gument that  friendship  could  suggest,  to  dissuade 
them  from  their  dreadful  purpose,  and  Mr.  Harvey 
also  interposed  for  the  same  intent,  by  which  means 
the  multitude  was  once  more  induced  to  retire.  It 
was  but  for  a  short  time,  however,  as  they  quickly 
came  back  to  the  house  with  more  violence  and  fury 
than  before  ;  a  shot  was  now  fired  at  the  door,  as 
the  first  notice  of  their  approach,  and  they  reiterated 
15* 


174  HISTORY   OF  THE 

their  demand  with  the  loudest  and  most  desperate 
vociferations.  Some  of  the  gentlemen  who  on  that 
day  dined  with  Mr.  Harvey,  now  came  out,  and  all 
their  united  entreaties  and  remonstrances  could  ob- 
tain from  the  enraged  multitude  was,  that  Mr.  Tur- 
ner might  be  lodged  in  the  jail  to  abide  his  trial ;  but 
the  demagogues  denounced  that  if  he  was  not  sent 
thither  directly,  Mr.  Fitzgerald  and  ^Ir.  Hay  (mean- 
ing myself)  must  forfeit  their  lives.  This  roused 
the  friendly  feelings  of  Mr.  Turner,  who  had  over- 
heard all  that  passed,  and  he  accordingly  requested 
he  might  be  brought  to  jail,  as  the  only  place  of  safe- 
ty in  his  opinion,  when  neither  the  house  nor  the  in 
terference  of  his  friends  or  the  chief  commander 
could  ensure  him  protection  ;  as  could  not  indeed 
the  house  of  any  one  at  this  perturbed  period,  as 
those  of  the  greatest  abettors  and  reputed  favorites 
and  supporters  of  the  people  were  searched  and  vio- 
lated by  forcibly  taking  out  of  them  numbers  of  peo- 
ple denominated  enemies. 

These  outrages  determined  many  to  surrender 
themselves,  in  order  to  be  sent  to  jail,  in  hopes  of 
greater  security,  as  well  as  it  induced  others  to  re- 
main in  confinement  from  similar  expectancy  of  pro- 
tection from  the  resentment  of  their  neighbors.  From 
considerations  of  this  nature,  Mr.  Harvey,  constrained 
as  he  was  to  conduct  Mr.  Turner  to  the  jail,  released 
from  thence  every  other  person  not  violently  accused, 
and  the  number  was  considerable  whom  he  thought 
to  be  obnoxious  to,  but  by  these  means  secure  from, 
the  intemperate  vengeance  of  the  people.  During 
the  first  days  of  the  nisurrection,  indeed,  any  person 
of  previous  popular  character  could  release  a  friend 
from  confinement ;  but  such  interference  soon  be- 
came so  displeasing  to  the  people,  that  most  of  those 
who  had  beein  thus  liberated  were  again  committed. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  175 

and  destruction  threatened  to  any  one  that  would 
presume  again  to  enlarge  them ;  which  prevented 
numbers  from  interposing  their  good  offices  in  favor 
of  such  of  their  friends  as  had  in  any  manner  incurred 
popular  odium.  Private  malice  was  on  these  occa- 
sions but  too  frequently  exerted,  and  any  accusation 
was  sufficient  to  cause  any  person  to  be  sent  to  jail ; 
which,  however,  was  esteemed  by  many  the  safest 
asylum,  as  it  was  expected  that  when  popular  fury 
should  have  abated,  the  persons  confined  might  be 
permitted  to  return  quietly  to  their  homes.  The  only 
effectual  mode  of  procuring  liberation  from  prison, 
however,  at  this  period  was,  to  procure  a  certificate 
in  favor  of  the  prisoner  from  the  neighborhood  in 
which  he  lived,  and  in  this  way  many  were  set  at 
liberty,  who,  to  secure  themselves  against  future 
crimination,  generally  joined  the  insurgents.  As  to 
the  power  of  popularity,  at  all  limes  precarious,  so 
difficult  of  attainment,  and  so  easily  lost,  and  which 
no  truly  wise  man  ever  made  the  scope  of  his  actions, 
or  final  object  of  pursuit,  it  could  effect  little  in  such 
troublesome  and  turbulent  times  as  those  we  are 
treating  of,  when  an  insurrection  prevailed,  excited 
by  oppression,  and  in  which  there  existed  no  regular 
plan  of  operation  or  system  of  action ;  while  the 
minds  of  the  ungovernable  multitude  were  sore  and 
desperate  from  recent  irritation.  Amidst  such  a 
dreadful  public  ferment,  popularity,  to  a  liberal  mind, 
proves  a  most  tyrannical  subjugation,  as  it  encumbers 
the  possessor  with  the  oppressive  weight  of  mobbish 
applause,  while  it  confers  not  on  him  the  power  of 
relieving  a  suffering  friend,  who  may  have  attracted, 
inadvertently,  or  otherwise,  the  deadly  resentment  of 
an  unbridled  populace  ;  and,  what  is  still  more  af- 
flicting to  generous  feelings,  the  devoted  victim  of  the 
moment  perhaps  imagines  the   popular  friend   all- 


176  HISTORY  OF  THE 

powerful  for  his  preservation,  while  it  is  melancholy 
to  reflect  that,  on  such  occasions,  it  is  in  the  power 
of  a  villain  to  counteract  the  benevolent  intentions 
and  humane  disposition  of  the  highest  respectabihty, 
intelligence,  and  virtue  ! 

After  the  insurgents,  as  has  been  related,  moved 
off  in  two  separate  divisions  from  Wexford,  there 
still  remained  several  of  their  number  in  the  town, 
who  assumed  the  office  of  supplying  the  camps  with 
necessaries,  and  this  by  their  own  authority  they  de- 
clared must  be  done  from  Wexford.  These  self- 
created  commissaries,  having  put  all  necessaries  ac- 
cordingly in  requisition,  began  to  search  all  the  houses, 
and  in  the  course  of  such  survey,  plundered  them  of 
every  article  they  thought  proper,  asserting  that  all 
they  took  away  was  for  the  general  service.  Great 
abuses  were  consequently  committed  in  this  arbitrary 
mode  of  levying  contributions,  and  so  great  a  waste 
of  property,  particularly  of  provisions,  was  made,  that 
the  town  and  its  neighborhood  were  threatened  with 
a  famine.  The  people  of  Wexford,  therefore,  desi- 
rous to  get  rid  of  these  troublesome  marauders,  and 
to  have  some  regulations  adopted  for  the  prevention 
of  plunder,  appointed  twelve  of  the  principal  inhabi- 
tants, as  a  committee,  to  regulate  the  distribution  of 
provisions,  as  well  as  of  all  other  necessaries  in  re- 
quisition ;  and  the  generous  individuals  who  under- 
took this  arduous  task  (it  was  indeed  an  herculean 
labor)  were  actuated  by  the  most  virtuous  and  disin- 
terested motives  in  their  exertions  to  protect  general 
as  well  as  individual  property.  As  whiskey  and 
leather  were  the  articles  most  in  demand  in  the 
camps,  distillers  and  tanners  especially  entreated  the 
committee  to  issue  regular  orders  for  the  supplies 
from  their  stores,  to  prevent  as  much  as  possible  the 
total  destruction  of  their  substance  and  cono^tni, 


IRISH  REBELLION.  177 

adding,  that  they  were  very  willing  to  give  up  their 
whole  stock  for  the  general  service  ;  yet,  strange  as 
it  may  appear,  some  of  this  description  of  persons 
were  most  forward  afterwards  in  prosecuting  those 
very  men,  who,  by  their  humane  interference,  were 
instrumental  in  saving  their  lives  and  properties; 
for  certainly  the  worst  consequences  were  to  be  ap- 
prehended from  the  indiscriminate  plunder,  and 
consequently  inordinate  consumption  of  spirituous 
liquors,  by  the  prevention  of  which  and  other  dis- 
orders, through  indefatigable  exertions,  the  committee 
actually  proved  the  salvation  of  the  country ;  and, 
what  may  not  appear  unw^orthy  of  observation,  al- 
though chosen  by  the  inhabitants  at  large  from  among 
themselves,  there  w^as  but  one  United  Irishman 
among  them,  which  could  not  be  the  case  had  the 
people  been  generally  sworn. 

Captain  Keugh  was  appointed  military  commander 
of  the  town,  which  w^as  now  divided  into  wards,  each 
of  wdiich  had  a  company  of  men,  armed  with  guns 
and  pikes  as  they  could  procure  them,  and  these  ap- 
pointed their  own  officers.  There  w^as  a  regular 
parade  morning  and  evening  on  the  custom-house 
quay ;  guards  were  struck  off  and  relieved,  and  a 
pass-word  and  countersign  regularly  given  out.  The 
insurrection  had  by  this  time  become  so  general  in 
all  parts  of  the  county  forsaken  by  the  military,  that 
even  the  inhabitants  of  the  baronies  of  Forth  and  Bar- 
gy  thought  it  incumbent  on  them  to  show  their  dis- 
position, and  to  appear  in  Wexford  ;  in  short,  every 
person  remaining  in  the  county  thought  it  best  at  this 
period  to  come  forward  and  make  common  cause 
with  the  insurgents.  The  inhabitants  of  the  last- 
mentioned  baronies,  however,  being  a  race  of  men 
of  peaceable  and  industrious  habits,  and  not  having 
experienced  the  persecutions  practised  in  other  dis- 


178  HISTORY   OF  THE 

tricts,  were  not  easily  excited  to  commit  those  acts 
of  outrage  which  took  place  in  other  quarters  ;  but 
they  were  at  length  terribly  alarmed  and  roused  to 
resistance  by  the  cruel  and  merciless  conduct  of  the 
military  in  their  flight  from  Wexford  ;  but  even  then 
their  determination  of  vengeance  appeared  solely  di- 
rected against  the  body  whose  unprovoked  fury  had 
aff'ected  them  with  injury.  These  people,  on  their 
march  to  Wexford,  halted  near  Johnstown,  the  seat 
of  Cornelius  Grogan,  Esq.,  for  whom  a  party  was 
dispatched  to  bring  him  out  and  oblige  him  to  join 
them  ;  and  thus  this  aged  gentleman  was  constrained 
to  accommodate  himself  to  the  crazy  temper  of  the 
times  ;  and  being  placed  on  horseback,  then  ill  of  the 
gout,  he  was  conducted  along  by  the  multitude,  con- 
sisting of  several  thousands  on  foot,  and  many  hun- 
dreds of  horsemen.  On  their  entrance  into  the  town, 
and  defiling  through  the  streets,  not  many  pikes  could 
be  seen,  but  vast  numbers  were  equipped  with  spits, 
pitchforks,  and  such-like  offensive  weapons,  with 
which  they  endeavored,  as  much  as  in  their  power, 
to  imitate  and  assume  the  appearance  of  pikemen ; 
and  after  having  shouted  and  paraded  for  some  time 
through  the  streets,  they  retired  peaceably  to  their 
homes  without  committing  further  outrage.  All  the 
forges  both  in  town  and  country  were  instantly  em- 
ployed in  the  fabrication  of  pike-blades,  and  timber 
of  every  description  fit  for  handles  was  procured  for 
that  purpose  wherever  to  be  found  ;  so  that  in  a  very 
short  time,  no  person  could  be  seen  (so  general  was 
the  principle  or  affectation  of  arming)  without  a  war- 
like weapon  of  some  kind,  a  green  cockade,  a  hat- 
band, sash,  or  other  ornament  of  that  color.  Four 
oyster-boats  were  fitted  out  in  the  harbor,  and  manned 
with  five-and-twenty  men  each,  to  cruise  outside  the 
bay ;  and  these  from  lime  to  time  brought  in  several 


IRISH  REBELLION.  179 

vessels,  mostly  bound  for  Dublin,  laden  with  oats, 
potatoes,  and  different  other  kinds  of  provisions ; 
which  became  very  seasonable  supplies  for  the  town, 
that  must  otherwise  have  suffered  great  distress,  as 
the  markets  were  deserted  by  the  country  people. 
Three  old  pieces  of  cannon  were  brought  down  and 
mounted  on  the  fort  of  Roslare,  situate  at  the  entrance 
of  the  harbor,  to  prevent  any  sloops  of  war  from  pass- 
ing, such  armed  vessels  only  being  capable  of  enter- 
ing the  harbor  of  Wexford ;  and  four  old  sloops  were 
ready  to  be  scuttled  and  sunk  in  the  channel  to  pre- 
vent any  such  armed  vessel,  in  the  event  of  her  pass- 
ing the  fort,  from  approacinng  the  town. 

Money  seemed  to  have  vanished  during  the  insur- 
rection, as  no  person  was  willing  to  admit  being 
possessed  of  any  currency  exclusive  of  bank-notes, 
which  were  held  in  such  little  estimation,  that  great 
quantities  of  them  were  inconsiderately  destroyed — 
some  in  lighting  tobacco-pipes,  and  others  used  as 
waddings  for  firelocks  ;  but  whatever  little  provis- 
ions appeared  at  market,  sold  very  cheaply  for  ready 
money ;  for  instance,  butter  sold  by  the  pound  for 
two  pence,  and  butcher's  meat,  of  any  kind,  for  one 
penny.  As  to  bank-notes,  any  one  might  starve 
who  had  no  other  means  of  procuring  the  prime 
necessaries,  for  which,  when  offered  for  sale,  nothing 
but  specie  would  be  accepted  as  payment.  Every 
endeavor  w^as  made  to  have  the  markets  well  sup- 
phed  and  attended  ;  but  even  at  the  cheap  rate  just 
stated,  there  were  scarcely  any  purchasers  ;  so  un- 
willing did  every  one  appear  to  acknowledge  the 
possession  of  money ;  but  it  must  be  mentioned, 
that  indeed  the  necessity  of  purchasing  at  market 
was  in  a  great  measure  superseded,  for  among  the 
various  duties  of  the  committee  one  was  that  of 
supplying  every  person  in  town  with  provisions.    On 


180  HISTORY  OF  THE 

application  to  them,  every  house  was  furnished  with 
a  ticket  specifying  the  number  of  inhabitants,  and 
all  persons,  even  the  wuves  and  families  of  those 
considered  the  greatest  enemies  of  the  people,  were 
indiscriminately  included ;  and  every  person  sent 
with  a  ticket  to  the  public  stores  appointed  for  that 
purpose,  received  a  proportionate  quantity  of  meat, 
potatoes,  and  other  necessaries,  free  of  any  expense. 
The  bread  in  general  was  bad,  as  no  good  flour 
could  be  obtained. 

In  the  country,  the  people  formed  themselves 
generally  into  parish  divisions,  and  each  division 
elected  its  own  officers.  All  persons  capable  of 
carrying  arms  w^ere  to  attend  the  camps,  on  being 
furnished  with  pikes  or  guns,  as  either  could  be  best 
procured ;  some  on  foot  and  others  on  horseback,  as 
they  could  best  accommodate  themselves.  Most 
persons  were  desirous  to  wear  ornaments  of  some 
kind  or  other,  and  accordingly  decorated  themselves 
in  the  most  fantastical  manner,  with  feathers,  tip- 
pets, handkerchiefs,  and  all  the  showy  parts  of 
ladies'  apparel  :  green  was  the  most  favorite  and 
predominant  color,  but  on  failure  of  this,  decora- 
tions of  almost  any  other  color  were  substituted  ; 
and  as  to  their  flags  or  ensigns,  they  were  also  gen- 
erally green,  or  of  a  greenish  hue  ;  but  on  account 
of  a  deficiency  in  this  respect,  they  displayed  ban- 
ners of  all  colors  except  orange,  to  which  the 
people  showed  the  most  unalterable  dislike,  aver- 
sion, and  antipathy, — even  blue,  black,  red,  and  yel- 
low, were  remarked  among  their  banners.  Many 
damsels  made  an  off'ering  of  their  colored  petticoats 
for  the  public  service ;  and  to  make  these  gifts  the 
more  acceptable,  they  usually  decorated  them  ac- 
cording to  their  diff'erent  fancies,  and  from  the  va- 
riety thus  exhibited,  there  appeared  not  two  similar 


IRISH  REBELLION.  181 

banners  in  the  whole.  Several  loyal  ladies,  too, 
both  in  town  and  country,  displayed  their  taste  in 
richly  and  fancifully  ornamenting  ensigns,  to  ingra- 
tiate themselves  with  the  people  ;  but  many  of  them, 
not  having  time  to  perfect  their  chef-d'ceuvres  before 
the  insurrection  was  suppressed,  have  since  thought 
it  prudent,  I  suppose,  to  destroy  these  and  the  like 
specimens  of  elegant  accomplishment,  at  which  I 
had  opportunities  of  observing  them  earnestly  em- 
ployed, during  the  short-lived  period  of  popular 
triumph.  But  now  we  must  return  to  events  which 
occurred  in  other  parts  of  the  country. 

After  the  battle  of  Oulart,  which  was  fought  on 
the  27th  of  May,  as  already  detailed,  the  yeomanry 
distinguished  themselves,  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
county,  by  falling  on  the  defenceless  and  unoffend- 
ing populace,  of  whom  they  slew  some  hundreds. 
It  being  Whitsunday,  the  people  were  as  usual  go 
ing  to  their  chapels  to  attend  divine  service,  when 
many  of  them  were  led  by  curiosity,  which  is  gen- 
erally excited  by  the  report  of  fire-arms,  to  ascend 
different  eminences,  from  which  the  dreadful  and 
horrid  scenes  of  devastation  by  fire  and  sword,  pre- 
vailing through  the  country  round,  as  far  as  the  eye 
could  reach,  was  presented  to  their  astonished  and 
affrighted  view ;  and  as  the  different  groups  thus 
collected  were  perceived  by  the  yeomanry,  these 
pursued  and  cut  them  down.  The  most  inoffensive 
were  most  likely  to  suffer  by  this  mode  of  qui- 
eting disturbances,  because,  conscious  of  their  inno- 
cence, they  made  no  effort  to  avoid  the  sudden  fate 
which  they  had  no  reason  to  apprehend.  Even 
many  who  remained  within  their  houses  did  not  fare 
better  than  their  more  curious  or  less  fearful  neigh- 
bors, as  numbers  of  them  were  called  out  and  shot 
at  their  own  doors ;  nay,  some  infirm  and  decrepit 
16 


182  HISTORY  OF  THE 

old  men  were  plunged  into  eternity  by  these  valor- 
ous guardians  and  preservers  of  the  public  peace  ! 
On  every  occasion,  however,  they  were  not  inexora- 
ble to  the  piteous  petitions  for  life,  as  a  sum  of 
money  properly  offered  and  timely  presented  saved 
some,  who,  after  the  insurrection  was  quelled,  came 
forward  with  their  complaints ;  and  among  others 
who  were  obliged  to  disgorge  these  bloody  ransoms, 
Mr.  Hunter  Govvan,  a  magistrate  and  captain  of  a 
yeomanry  corps,  on  a  complaint  made  to  Mr.  Beau- 
man,  sen.,  of  Hyde  Park,  (from  whom  I  had  this 
account,)  was  obliged  to  refund  the  money.  These 
people,  on  surrendering  their  pikes  and  other  offen- 
sive weapons  and  arms,  fondly  imagined  that  they 
had  secured  themselves  protection,  and  were  there- 
fore not  at  all  apprehensive  of  attack,  but  they  soon 
found  themselves  miserably  mistaken.  Had  their 
intentions  been  for  violence,  they  would  naturally 
have  assembled  in  a  large  body,  on  some  command 
ing  hill,  as  the  other  insurgents  did,  where  they 
would  have  appeared  formidable ;  so  that,  their 
having  collected  into  numberless  small  groups  is 
certainly  to  be  deemed  rather  the  effect  of  curiosity, 
than  the  effort  of  insurrection. 

Great  numbers  of  people,  taking  their  families 
and  such  of  their  effects  as  they  could  conveniently 
transport  thither  along  with  them,  fled  for  refuge 
into  Gore}",  where  a  general  panic,  however,  pre- 
vailed, although,  besides  the  yeomanry  of  the  town, 
a  party  of  the  North  Cork  militia,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Lieutenant  Swayne,  together  with  the  Bal- 
laghkeen,  Coolgreny,  Arklovv,  Norlhshire,  and  Cool- 
atin  corps  of  yeomen  cavalry — the  Tinnahely  and 
Wingficld  corps  of  yeomen  infantry — and  a  com- 
pany of  the  Antrim  militia,  commanded  by  Lieu- 
tenant Elliot,  were  stationed  there ;   but,  notwith- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  183 

Standing,  on  a  rumor  that  the  insurgents  were  ap- 
proaching, it  was  determined  to  abandon  the  town, 
and  proceed  to  Arklow ;  but,  previous  to  its  evacu- 
ation, eleven  men,  taken  out  of  their  beds,  within  a 
mile's  distance,  were  brought  in  and  shot  in  the 
streets,  where  they  were  left  for  dead  ;  but  six 
of  them  recovered.  By  order  of  Mr.  White,  how- 
ever, upwards  of  one  hundred  prisoners  were  re- 
leased from  the  jail  and  market-house,  and  many  of 
them  received  protections,  which  they  placed  in 
their  hats,  in  order  to  exhibit  as  conspicuously  as 
possible  ;  but  this  precaution  did  not  prevent  some 
being  shot  by  other  yeomen,  whom  they  fell  in  with 
on  their  way  home  !  The  order  for  evacuation  being 
announced  at  five  o'clock  on  the  m.orning  of  the 
28th,  a  distressing  scene  of  trepidation  and  confu- 
sion ensued.  Affrighted  crowds  of  people  might  be 
seen  running  in  all  directions,  preparing  for  flight ; 
while  such  as  could  were  harnessing  their  horses, 
and  placing  their  families  on  cars,  with  the  utmost 
precipitation, — all  endeavoring  to  escape  from  the 
town  as  speedily  as  possible.  The  road  was  soon 
thronged,  to  a  great  extent,  with  a  train  of  cars, 
which  were  loaded  with  women  and  children,  ac- 
companied by  a  vast  multitude  on  foot,  among 
whom  were  many  women  with  their  children  on 
their  back,  and  from  the  continued  heat  and  drought 
of  the  weather,  the  dust  excited  by  this  crowded 
procession  distressfully  obstructed  respiration. 

By  this  abandonment  of  Gorey,  the  whole  of  the 
surrounding  country  was  left  entirely  exposed,  and 
yet  the  insurgents  did  not  at  all,  at  this  time,  ap- 
proach the  town,  but  remained  in  their  encampment 
on  the  hill  of  Carrigrew ;  nor  did  the  inhabitants  of 
this  quarter  then  rise  or  join  in  the  insurrection ; 
but  strictly  observed,   on  their  part,   the   promises 


184  HISTORY  OF  THE 

they  had  made  to  the  magistrates  on  surrendering 
their  arms  ;  and  yet  it  is  a  notorious  fact,  that  there 
were  more  United  Irishmen  in  tliis  than  in  any  other 
part  of  the  county  of  Wexford,  and  that  it  even 
comprehended  the  district  of  sixteen  parishes  al- 
ready stated  to  have  been  proclaimed  in  November, 
]797.  While  Gorey  was  thus  abandoned  by  the 
military,  and  by  such  as  were  allowed,  or  for  whom 
it  would  be  safe  to  accompany  them,  it  was  filled 
with  the  property  and  effects  of  the  fugitives,  yet  no 
plunder  was  committed,  and  no  disturbance  took 
place,  so  that  on  their  return  they  found  all  belong- 
ing to  them  in  perfect  security,  having  been  pro- 
tected by  those  that  remained  in  the  town.  The 
only  instance  of  spoliation  supposed  to  have  taken 
place  on  this  occasion  is,  that  a  yeoman  got  some 
money  belonging  to  Mr.  William  Sparrow,  by  whose 
desire  he  came  for  it  on  the  30th,  and  which  the 
owner  never  received.  A  party  of  yeomen  returned 
on  the  29th,  and  brought  away  provisions  ;  but  as 
these  were  galloping  into  the  town,  one  of  the  shoes 
of  a  yeoman's  horse  struck  fire  against  the  pave- 
ment, haply  on  the  very  spot  where  a  quantity  of 
gunpowder  had  remained,  after  a  small  cask  of  that 
dangerous  combustible  which,  previous  to  the  flight, 
had  fallen  from  a  car  into  the  street,  and  was  burst. 
An  explosion  instantly  ensued,  by  which  the  horse 
and  horseman  were  blown  up,  and  narrowly  escaped 
with  life  :  the  horse's  hair  was  desperately  singed, 
and  the  yeoman  himself  was  terribly  scorched.  On 
the  31st,  the  mihtary  returned  to  Gorey;  on  which, 
although  left  utterly  defenceless  since  the  morning 
of  the  28lh,  not  the  smallest  attempt  was  made  by 
the  insurgents  to  take  possession  ;  and  on  the  dispo- 
sition to  peace  and  order  manifested  by  the  inhab- 
itants who  remained  in  the  town  after  the  abandon- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  185 

ment,  their  laudable  conduct  is  the  best  comment. 
Different  parties  of  yeomen  went  out  from  the 
town,  ransacked  the  houses  through  the  country, 
brought  away  as  much  as  they  could  carry,  driving 
off  numbers  of  cattle,  some  belonging  to  Lord 
Mountnorris,  and  put  them  into  Mr.  Ram's  demesne. 
Indeed,  they  were  not  very  exact  nor  scrupulous  as 
to  individual  property,  for  they  brought  off  all  the 
cattle  they  could  collect  in  the  country,  and  took  up 
bacon,  cheese,  butter,  and  provisions  of  all  kinds, 
wherever  they  found  them ;  and  to  crown  all,  they 
took  a  great  number  of  men  prisoners,  to  supply 
the  place  of  those  that  were  liberated  in  the  com- 
mencement of  the  flight ;  so  that  this  must  be  ac- 
knowledged, if  not  valorous,  at  least  very  active 
service. 

On  the  morning  of  the  first  of  June,  an  indepen- 
dent, or  self-constituted  body  of  insurgents,  unknown 
to  any  of  the  three  general  encampments  of  Vinegar 
Hill,  Taghmon,  and  Carrigrew,  proceeded  on  a  se- 
cret expedition  to  Newtownbarry,  (anciently  called 
Bunclody,)  garrisoned  by  the  King's  county  militia, 
commanded  by  Colonel  Lestrange,  and  the  corps  of 
yeomen  cavalry  and  infantry  belonging  to  the  place. 
These  insurgents  having  divided  into  two  parties, 
made  their  attack  on  both  sides  of  the  Slaney,  on  the 
western  bank  whereof  lies  the  town,  and  of  this  they 
were  soon  left  in  possession  by  the  retreat  of  the 
military  ;  but  they  instantly  proceeded  to  plunder, 
particularly  whiskey,  of  which  they  drank  very 
freely,  and  being  thus  regardless  of  the  advantage 
they  obtained,  they  afforded  the  military,  whom  they 
did  not  attempt  to  pursue,  time  to  rally  and  return 
upon  them  while  in  this  disorderly  state,  so  as  to 
oblige  them  to  fly  with  some  loss  and  precipitation. 

On  this  day  also,  a  party  of  insurgents  from  Vine- 
16* 


186  HISTORY  OF  THE  '^ 

gar  Hill  proceeded  to  join  those  encamped  at  Cam- 
grew,  whose  numbers  were  greatly  lessened  by  de- 
sertions for  home.  They  were  now,  however,  mus- 
tering pretty  strongly  all  over  the  country,  intending 
to  assemble  their  collective  force  on  the  hill  of  Bal- 
lymenane  ;  but,  while  moving  forward  in  a  detached 
and  disorderly  manner,  they  w^ere  met  by  a  force 
from  Gorey,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Elli- 
ot, consisting  of  parties  of  the  Antrim  and  North 
Cork  militia,  above  fifty  yeomen  infantry,  and  three 
troops  of  yeomen  cavalry.  These,  by  preserving 
their  order,  had  great  advantage  in  this  unexpected 
rencounter  over  the  insurgents,  who  retreated  with 
some  loss  and  in  disorder ;  leaving  behind  a  great 
number  of  horses  which  were  brought  into  Gorey, 
together  with  the  plunder  of  many  houses,  which 
were  burnt  after  despoiling ;  among  the  rest  that  of 
Mr.  Kenney,  a  tanner  and  shopkeeper,  confidently 
asserted  to  be  a  loyal  man :  his  character,  however, 
did  not  protect  him,  for  he  was  shot  in  his  own  gar- 
den, and  so  fell  a  victim  to  the  angry  indiscrimina- 
ting  spirit  of  the  times,  like  many  other  innocent  per- 
sons. This  is  very  strongly  exemplified  by  a  trans- 
action mentioned  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gordon  as  fol- 
lows : — "  A  small  occurrence  after  the  battle,  of 
which  a  son  of  mine  was  a  witness,  may  help  to  il- 
lustrate the  state  of  the  country  at  that  time  : — Two 
yeomen  coming  to  a  brake  or  clump  of  bushes,  and 
observing  a  small  motion  as  if  some  persons  were 
hiding  there,  one  of  them  fired  into  it,  and  the  shot 
was  answered  by  a  most  piteous  and  loud  screech  of 
a  child.  The  other  yeoman  was  then  urged  by  his 
companion  to  fire  ;  but  he  being  a  gentleman,  and 
less  ferocious,  instead  of  firing,  commanded  the  con- 
cealed persons  to  appear,  when  a  poor  woman  and 
eight  children  almost  naked,  one  of  whom  was  se- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  187 

verely  wounded,  came  trembling  from  the  brake, 
where  they  had  secreted  themselves  for  safety."*  In- 
deed the  selded  practice  was,  to  shoot  all  men  that 
were  met ;  and  by  this  desperate  system,  the  most 
innocent  and  peaceable  were  generally  the  most 
likely  to  suffer  ;  for  being  unwilling  to  join  the  insur- 
gents, the  ungenerous  suspicions  generally  thrown 
out,  however  unjustly,  against  the  Catholics,  which 
constituted  a  vast  majority  of  the  people  at  large, 
precluded  the  possibility  of  their  joining  the  army  or 
yeomen,  who  professed  the  rankest  and  most  invete- 
rate distrust  of  the  people,  for  any  of  whom  it  was 
extremely  unsafe  to  venture  into  their  presence  on 
any  occasion  whatsoever,  as  numbers  had  fallen  a 
sacrifice  to  a  confidence  in  their  own  peaceable  in- 
tentions and  innocent  demeanor ;  and  this  kind  of 
conduct  had  finally  the  effect  of  determining  multi- 
tudes to  join  the  insurgents,  considering  it,  at  length, 
the  only  means  of  self-preservation.  The  mind  of 
the  impartial  reader  must  be  strongly  impressed  with 
the  barbarous  impolicy  of  thus  cherishing  these  odious 
and  unnatural  prejudices,  as  well  as  with  the  despe- 
rate situation  in  which  the  country  was  placed  through 
these  means  ;  and  what  a  dreadful  misfortune  it  must 
prove  to  be  an  inhabitant  where  not  only  such  senti- 
ments were  very  strenuously  inculcated,  but  where 
even  the  most  shocking  scenes  of  foulest  outrage 
were  permitted,  and  perpetrated  with  the  basest  and 
most  criminal  connivance. 

From  the  inactivity  of  the  insurgents  encamped  at 
Carrickbyrne,  occasioned  in  a  great  degree  from  their 
want  of  an  ostensible  commander,  constant  sallies 
were  made  out  of  Ross,  and  great  havoc  and  devas- 
tation committed   throughout   the  country.     These 

*  See  Gordon's  Hiatory,  page  113. 


188  HISTORY  OF  THE 

occurrences  produced  a  general  meeting  of  the  prin- 
cipal inhabitants  on  the  1st  of  June,  wherein  Mr. 
Harvey  was  called  on  to  act  as  commander-in-chief, 
and  various  other  appointments  and  regulations  took 
place  for  the  maintenance  and  supply  of  the  country. 
The  day  after,  Mr.  Harvey  took  the  command  in 
person  at  Carrickbyrne,  w^here,  on  iiis  arrival,  several 
fugitives  appeared,  giving  dreadful  accounts  of  their 
suffering  from  the  yeomanry,  and  at  the  time  several 
houses  were' on  fire  about  Old  Ross.  The  com- 
mander-in-chief instantly  ordered  Mr.  Thomas  Clo- 
ney,  with  all  xhe  horsemen  that  could  be  collected,  to 
proceed  against  the  depredators,  who  fled  on  their 
approach,  and  were  chased  in  full  speed  to  Ross.  At 
this  critical  period,  the  Protestant  church  of  Old 
Ross  was  burned,  by  no  means  with  the  knowledge 
or  consent  of  Mr.  Cloney  or  his  party ;  and  the  re- 
sult of  every  inquiry  at  the  lime  was,  that  the  church 
was  set  on  fire  in  revenge  and  retaliation  by  individ- 
ual sufferers,  as  many  houses  were  burned,  and  sev- 
eral unresisting  persons  were  shot  immediately  pre- 
ceding this  conflagration.  I  should  wish  to  be  able 
to  give  a  more  circumstantial  account  of  this  occur- 
rence, as  it  was  the  only  one  of  the  kind  that  took 
place  during  the  insurrection,  but  have  not  been  able 
to  procure  further  information  ;  however,  a  witness 
on  the  trial  of  Mr.  Cloney  by  court-martial  at  Wex- 
ford, in  1799,  mentioned  the  circumstance,  but  in 
such  a  manner  as  only  to  attract  the  notice  of  an  en- 
thusiastic maniac.  By  having  reference  to  the  trial, 
it  will  also  appear,  that  Mr.  Cloney's  humanity  and 
exertions  for  those  in  any  kind  of  distress,  was  as 
conspicuous  as  his  courage  in  the  field,  after  he  had 
been  forced  from  his  house  when  the  military  had 
fled,  and  left  the  insurgents  in  uncontrollable  posses- 
sion of  the  country. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  189 

On  the  2d  of  June,  as  one  of  the  armed  oyster- 
boats  already  noticed,  was  cruising  outside  the  har- 
bor of  Wexford,  she  fell  in  with  a  boat  from  Arklow, 
which,  upon  being  hailed,  came  to  and  was  taken. 
On  board  this  vessel  were  three  officers  of  the  North 
Cork  militia,  Lord  Kingsborough,  the  colonel,  Cap- 
tain O'Hea,  and  Lieutenant  Bourke,  who  were  ac- 
cordingly made  prisoners.  This  nobleman  and  these 
his  officers  were  in  Dublin  when  informed  of  the  de- 
feat of  part  of  their  regiment  at  Oulart,  as  before 
stated,  and  immediately  purposed  to  join  it ;  for  which 
purpose,  proceeding  by  land  as  far  as  Arklow,  and 
finding  the  insurrection  more  formidable  than  they 
could  be  brought  before  to  imagine,  they  there  hired 
a  boat  to  carry  them  to  Wexford,  not  conceiving  it 
possible  that  it  had  been  abandoned  and  then  was  in 
the  hands  of  the  insurgents.  They  were  taken,  there- 
fore, at  their  entrance  into  the  harbor,  and  conducted 
without  any  person  in  town  being  previously  informed 
of  the  fact,  to  the  house  of  Captain  Keugh,  then 
the  acknowledged  military  commander  of  the  town. 
Here  his  lordship  and  the  two  officers  made  prisoners 
with  him  were  entertained  for  some  days  before  the 
people  expressed  any  dissatisfaction  or  apprehension 
that  they  might  be  enabled  to  escape  ;  but  these 
manifestations  of  popular  distrust  being  made  known, 
they  were  conveyed  to  a  house  in  the  bull-ring,  near 
the  main  guardhouse,  where  sentinels  were  posted 
inside  and  outside  ;  and  there  they  continued,  under 
these  measures  of  precaution,  until  the  subsequent 
surrender  of  the  town  to  his  lordship  himself  as  an 
officer  in  the  king's  service. 

The  people  of  the  barony  of  Forth,  having  by  this 
time  sufficiently  equipped  themselves  with  pikes, 
joined  the  encampment  now  formed  on  the  hill  of 
Carrickbyrne,  whither,  it  must  be  observed,  the  in 


190  HISTORY  OF  THE 

surgents  of  the  camp  near  Tagbmon  had  shifted  on 
the  first  of  June.  A  small  party  from  Wexford  also, 
denominated  the  Faith  Corps,  joined  the  encampment 
on  Carrigrew. 

The  committee  of  general  regulation  appointed  in 
Wexford,  and  already  noticed,  waited  on  Mr.  Har- 
vey, commander-in-chief  of  the  insurgents,  expressing 
their  hopes  that  the  service  in  the  Protestant  church, 
which  had  been  hitherto  interrupted,  might  be  no 
longer  discontinued  ;  as  they  wished  to  do  all  in  their 
power  to  dissipate  religious  animosities,  by  incul- 
cating the  absurdity  of  fear  on  this  account  alone,  and 
to  undeceive  the  numbers  of  sudden  converts  who 
were  applying  to  the  Catholic  priests  to  be  baptized, 
beseeching  in  the  most  earnest  manner  to  be  thus  re- 
ceived into  the  bosom  of  the  Catholic  Church,  from 
an  idea  that  it  was  then  the  only  plan  of  safety.  Nay, 
so  persevering  were  the  generality  in  their  piteous 
entreaties,  that  the  Catholic  clergy  found  themselves 
very  distressingly  circumstanced  ;  for  should  they  re- 
fuse to  comply  with  the  wishes  and  earnest  solicita- 
tions of  such  Protestants  as  offered  themselves  in 
this  way,  they  perceived  that  they  would  be  subject 
to  the  most  violent  animadversions  for  any  fatal  acci- 
dent that  might  befall  any  of  them  ;  and  on  the  other 
hand,  knowing  that  imagined  necessity  alone  was  the 
motive  of  apparent  conversion,  they  must  have  con- 
sidered it  improper  to  accept  their  conformity  without 
serious  and  solemn  probation.  On  this  occasion, 
however,  the  humanity  of  many  superseded  the  dic- 
tates of  duty,  so  far  as  to  induce  them  to  risk  the 
profanation  of  a  sacrament  for  the  preservation  of 
lives,  and  to  dispel  the  dreadful  apprehensions  from 
Orangemen  ;  the  greatest  assurance  of  not  belonging 
to  that  combination  being  that  of  conversion  to  the 
CathoUc  communion,  which  was  considered  to  render 


IRISH  REBELLION.  ]91 

any  person  inadmissible  into  an  association  which  the 
majority  of  the  people  absolutely  beHeved  to  be  in- 
stituted for  their  destruction.  Their  alarms,  how- 
ever, worked  so  strongly  on  the  minds  of  the  affected 
converts,  that  all  arguments  exerted  to  dispel  their 
fears  generally  proved  ineffectual,  as  they  would  still 
persist  in  most  earnest  solicitation  for  admission. 
Some  clergymen,  however,  in  this  dilemma,  positive- 
ly refused  baptizing  Protestant  converts,  but  then 
they  look  a  far  better  and  consistent  mode  of  quieting 
alarms.  They  gave  the  strongest  assurances  to  such 
as  applied  to  them,  that  the  Cathohc  Church  does 
not  deem  it  necessary  to  rebaptize  any  denomination 
of  Christians  otherwise  than  conditionally,  as  the  ex- 
istence of  any  previous  baptism  whatever,  and  attend- 
ance on  duties  and  divine  service,  was  sufficient 
conformity. 

A  curious  circumstance,  however,  occurred  in 
Wexford  at  this  time,  which  eventually  produced  a 
great  number  of  conditional  baptisms.  A  young  lady 
who  on  first  application  failed  of  persuading  a  Catho- 
lic priest  to  confer  on  her  the  favor  of  baptism,  had 
the  diligence  and  address  afterwards  to  discover  that 
the  Protestant  minister  who  had  undertaken  to  per- 
form that  ceremony  in  her  infancy,  had  only  filhped 
or  sprinkled  the  water  at  her  with  his  finger,  and  so 
it  was  within  the  limits  of  probabihty  that  a  drop 
might  not  have  reached  her  head  so  as  to  form  an 
ablution.  Being  very  ingenious  and  persevering  in 
her  arguments,  so  as  to  appear  capable  of  puzzling 
the  nicest  casuist,  she  at  last  made  out  her  own  a 
doubtlul  case,  and  was  accordingly  quieted  by  condi- 
tional baptism.  When  the  particulars  of  this  trans- 
action got  abroad,  the  solicitations  to  tlie  Cathohc 
clergy  for  the  boon  of  conditional  baptism  became 
considerably  more  frequent,  the  applicants  quoting 


192  HISTORY  OF  THE 

this  recent  precedent,  and  adducing  the  hearsay  evi- 
dence and  far-fetched  recollection  of  grandmothers, 
grand-aunts,  and  other  grave  and  venerated  relatives, 
with  a  long  train  of  minute  circumstances,  to  prove 
a  similarity  of  cases,  and  claiming  on  this  account 
an  equal  consideration.  Notwithstanding  the  earnest 
exertions  of  the  committee,  and  many  of  the  principal 
Catholics,  to  dispel  the  fears  of  their  Protestant  breth- 
ren, whom  they  offered  to  protect  even  at  the  risk  of 
their  own  lives,  all  endeavors  to  have  service  per- 
formed in  the  Protestant  church  proved  ineffectual. 
It  must  be  remarked,  however,  that  the  place  itself 
suffered  not  the  smallest  indignity  during  the  whole 
period  of  the  insurrection,  except  in  the  instance  of 
the  abandonment  of  their  usual  place  of  worship  by 
the  Protestants,  of  whom  great  numbers  flocked  in 
the  most  pubhc  and  conspicuous  manner  to  the  Cath- 
olic chapel,  where  they  affected  the  greatest  piety 
and  devotion.  The  epithet  of  "  craw-thumpers,"  op- 
probriously  applied  to  Catholics  for  contritely  striking 
their  breasts  at  their  devotions,  was  never  more 
strongly  exemplified  than  by  these  converts.  Catho- 
lics strike  their  breasts  gently  on  certain  occasions, 
and  with  the  right  hand  alone,  but  Protestants  who 
attended  at  mass  in  these  times  generally  continued 
to  strike  themselves  vehemently  with  both  hands 
almost  during  the  whole  service.  I  had  the  good 
fortune  to  prevent  all  such  as  consulted  me  on  the 
occasion  as  to  the  expediency  of  conforming,  by  per- 
suading them  to  avoid  the  disgrace  of  such  a  mock- 
ery ;  and  1  had  the  satisfaction  afterwards  to  hear 
those  applauded  who  did  not  appear  to  change  their 
religion,  while  those  who  turned  with  the  times  were 
reprobated — some  as  hypocrites,  and  others  as  cow- 
ards. And,  in  good  truth,  what  favorable  opinion 
could   be    entertained  of  such  as  did  not  continue 


IRISH  REBELLION.  193 

faithful  even  to  tlieir  God  according  to  the  dictates 
of  llieir  conscience  ? 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Dixon,  a  Roman  Cathohc  clergy- 
man, who  had  been  condemned  before  a  magistrate 
and  sentenced  to  transportation,  was  sent  off  to  Dun- 
cannon  Fort  the  day  preceding  the  insurrection  ;  and 
this  was  on  the  testimony  of  a  man  named  Francis 
Murphy,  whose  evidence  was  positively  contradicted 
by  three  other  witnesses.  These  facts,  together 
with  the  p\ibhc  odium  incurred  by  the  man  himself, 
induced  Thomas  Dixon,  a  seafaring  captain  and  mas- 
ter of  a  vessel,  who  also  kept  a  porterhouse  in  Wex- 
ford, to  take  a  summarj^  mode  of  avenging  the  fate 
of  the  clergyman,  who  was  his  relation.  For  this 
purpose  he  brought  the  man  out  of  jail,  upon  his  own 
sole  authority,  and  conducted  him  down  to  the  bull- 
ring, where  he  obliged  three  revenue  officers,  who 
were  then  prisoners,  and  whom  he  brought  out  along 
with  him,  to  shoot  him,  and  afterwards  bear  his  body 
to  the  quay  and  throw  it  into  the  water.  This  exe- 
cution took  place,  with  all  its  shocking  circumstances, 
while  most  of  the  townspeople  were  at  prayers,  and 
was  utterly  unknown  to  the  principal  inhabitants  ; 
but  at  all  events  Dixon  could  the  more  readily  ac- 
complish his  vengeance,  without  fear  of  being  pre- 
vented, on  account  of  the  public  execration  generally 
prevalent  against  informers. 

The  military  stationed  at  Gorey  made  constant 
sallies,  in  the  course  of  which,  through  the  country, 
they  plundered  and  burned  many  houses,  and  shot 
several  stragglers  who  happened  to  fall  in  their  way. 
This  provoked  the  insurgents  to  vie  with  their  op- 
ponents in  this  mode  of  warfare,  and  retaliation  has 
on  this,  as  well  as  on  every  other  occasion,  pro- 
duced many  woful  scenes.  Enormities,  in  fact, 
were  committed  on  both  sides,  which,  among  their 
17 


194  HISTORY  OF  THE 

many  lamentable  consequences,  tended  to  exasperate 
the  party  animosities,  already  too  powerfully  de- 
structive of  the  peace  and  happiness  of  the  country. 
At  this  time,  reinforcements  were  every  day  crowd- 
ing into  Gorey.  On  the  3d  of  June,  General  Loftiis 
arrived  there,  with  fifteen  hundred  men  under  his 
command,  as  did  also  Colonel  Walpole,  from  Car- 
new,  whence  he  had  several  times  gone  out  to  re- 
connoitre the  camp  at  Carrigrew.  A  determination 
was  formed  to  attack  this  on  the  4th,  with  the  force 
then  in  Gorey,  with  which  the  troops  from  Carnew 
and  Newtow^nbarry  were  to  co-operate,  so  as  to  en- 
gage the  insurgents  on  all  sides  ;  and  from  these 
arrangements,  and  considering  the  force  that  was  to 
act  against  them,  little  doubt  was  entertained  of 
their  total  and  speedy  defeat.  The  army  from  Gorey 
marched  out  at  the  appointed  time,  and  formed  into 
two  divisions  ;  the  one  under  General  Loflus  took 
route  towards  Ballycanew,  while  the  other,  com- 
manded by  Colonel  Walpole,  proceeded  by  the 
Camolin  road  directly,  to  commence  the  concerted 
attack  on  Carrigrew.  The  insurgents  had,  however, 
quitted  this  post,  and  were  in  full  march  towards 
Gorey,  when  they  suddenly  and  unawares  fell  in 
with  this  military  body  under  Colonel  Walpole,  at  a 
place  called  Tubberneering.  The  meeting  was 
equally  unexpected  on  both  sides,  and  this  circum- 
stance, no  less  true  than  extraordinary,  neither  party 
having  any  scouts,  produced  an  instantaneous  and 
confused  action,  in  which  Colonel  Walpole  was 
killed,  in  a  few  minutes  after  its  commencement, 
and  his  troops  immediately  gave  way,  and  fled  in 
the  utmost  precipitation  and  disorder,  leaving  the 
victors  in  possession  of  three  pieces  of  cannon,  two 
six-pounders,  and  another  of  inferior  size.  The 
fate  of  this  action  was   so  quickly  decided,  as  to 


IRISH  REBELLION.  195 

allow  General  Loftus  not  the  smallest  opportunity 
of  affording  the  troops  under  Colonel  Walpole  any 
assistance.  The  loss  of  the  military  in  killed  and 
wounded  was  considerable,  besides  Captain  M'Ma- 
nus,  Lieutenant  Hogg,  and  Ensign  Barry,  of  the 
Antrim  militia,  with  many  privates,  taken  prisoners. 
The  rest,  in  the  greatest  possible  haste,  being  pur- 
sued by  the  insurgents,  reached  Gore}^  which  they 
as  quickly  passed  through  ;  but  would,  in  revenge, 
have  put  the  prisoners  in  the  tov/n  to  death,  had 
they  not  feared  that  the  delay  it  would  occasion 
might  cost  them  too  dearly.  This  account  I  have 
from  a  captain  of  yeomanry,  who  opposed  with  all 
liis  might  the  perpetration  of  such  a  cruel  and  bar- 
barous deed,  and  who,  to  his  honor,  was  incapable 
of  countenancing  such  an  atrocity  under  any  cir- 
cumstances. The  retreat  was  thence  very  precip- 
itate to  Arklow,  where  a  council  of  war  was  hastily 
held,  at  which  it  was  as  hastily  determined  to  aban- 
don that  town,  and  this  was  accordingly  put  into 
execution.  Some  were  so  panic-struck,  that  they 
did  not  stop  till  they  reached  Dublin ;  but  others 
stopped  at  different  distances,  when  their  horses  or 
themselves  were  not  able  to  proceed  farther.  Gen- 
eral Loftus,  on  hearing  the  report  of  the  cannon  and 
other  fire-arms  in  the  engagement,  not  being  able  to 
go  across  the  country,  proceeded  round  by  the  road 
to  the  scene  of  action,  where  he  found  the  bodies  of 
many  slain,  and  did  not  learn  the  fate  of  Colonel 
Walpole  till  he  saw  him  stretched  on  the  field  of 
battle.  He  then  moved  towards  Gorey,  but  thought 
it  most  prudent  to  alter  his  line  of  direction  upon 
being  saluted  by  the  insurgents  with  the  cannon 
they  liad  just  taken,  and  which  they  had  drawn  up 
to  the  summit  of  the  hill  of  Gorey,  which  is  imme- 
diately over  the  town,  commanding  it  in  every  quar- 


196  HISTORY  OF  THE 

ter.  The  general  then  marclied  to  Carnew,  and 
from  that  to  Tullow.  The  troops  that  had  pro- 
ceeded from  Carnew  in  the  morning,  to  co-operate 
in  the  intended  general  attack  on  the  insurgents  at 
Carrigrevv,  did  not  return  thither  upon  hearing  of 
the  defeat,  but  made  Newtownbarry  with  those  who 
had  come  out  from  thence  on  the  same  expedition. 

The  insurgents  were  now  in  possession  of  the 
whole  of  the  county  of  Wexford,  except  tlie  fort  of 
Duncannon,  the  towns  of  Ross  and  Newtownbarry  ; 
and  were  at  perfect  liberty,  if  they  pursued  their 
advantages,  to  seize  upon  Carnew,  and  also  to  enter 
Arklow,  situated  in  the  county  of  Wicklow,  and 
what  consequences  might  have  ensued  are  now  in- 
calculable. 

On  the  evening  of  the  4th  of  June,  the  insurgents 
stationed  on  the  hill  of  Carrickbyrne,  whither  the 
Taghmon  encampment,  as  has  been  observed,  was 
transferred  on  the  1st,  now  proceeded  to  Corbet 
Hill,  within  a  mile  of  the  town  of  Ross,  the  garri- 
son of  which  had  lately  received  great  reinforce- 
ments, by  the  arrival  there  of  the  Donegal,  Clare, 
and  Meath  regiments  of  militia,  a  detachment  of 
English  and  Irish  artillery,  the  5tli  dragoons,  the 
]\Iid-Lothian  fencibles,  and  on  this  very  evening  the 
county  of  Dublin  regiment  of  militia  considerably 
added  to  its  force,  which,  upon  the  whole,  amounted 
to  twelve  hundred  men,  exclusive  of  the  yeomen, 
all  under  the  command  of  Major-General  Johnson, 
who  expected  an  attack  during  the  night,  and  conse- 
quently the  troops  remained  under -arms,  without 
being  allowed  to  take  any  repose.  The  insurgents, 
led  by  their  commander-in-chief,  Mr.  Beauchamp 
Bagnal  Harvey,  a  little  after  their  arrival  on  Corbet 
Hill,  were  saluted  with  a  few  cannon-shot  and 
bomb-shells   from  the  town,  without  producing  any 


IRISH  REBELLION.  197 

Other  eflfect  than  that  of  increasing  their  vigilance. 
Mr.  Harve)^  and  his  principal  officers  took  up  their 
quarters  in  the  house  of  Corbet  Hill,  where,  being 
regaled  with  an  excellent  supper  and  exquisite 
wines,  they  were  so  well  pleased  with  their  cheer, 
and  so  far  forgot  their  prudence  as  commanders, 
that  ihey  had  scarcely  lime  to  fall  asleep  since  the 
moment  of  their  retirement,  until  they  were  roused, 
by  the  orders  they  had  given  in  their  sober  mo- 
ments, to  commence  the  attack  at  break  of  day. 
Mr.  Furlong  was  immediately  dispatched  with  a  flag 
of  truce,  and  the  following  summons  to  the  com- 
manding officer  in  Ross  : — 

"  Sir — As  a  friend  to  humanity,  I  request  you 
will  surrender  the  town  of  Ross  to  the  Wexford 
forces  now  assembled  against  that  town.  Your  re- 
sistance will  but  provoke  rapine  and  plunder,  to  the 
ruin  of  the  most  innocent.  Flushed  with  victory, 
the  Wexford  forces,  now  innumerable  and  irresist- 
ible, will  not  be  controlled  if  they  meet  with  any 
resistance  :  to  prevent,  therefore,  the  total  ruin  of  all 
property  in  the  town,  I  urge  you  to  a  speedy  sur- 
render, which  you  will  be  forced  to  do  in  a  few 
hours,  with  loss  and  bloodshed,  as  you  are  sur- 
rounded on  all  sides.  Your  answer  is  required  in 
four  hours.  Mr.  Furlong  carries  this  letter,  and  will 
bring  the  answer. 

"I  am,  sir,  &c.  &c. 

"  B.  B.  Harvey. 

"  Camp  at  Corbet  Hill,  half-past  three 
o'clock,  morning,  June  5th,  1798." 

Mr.  Furlong  was  shot  the  moment  he  approached 
the  outposts,  which  so  exasperated  the  people,  that 
they  could  not  be  restrained  from  instantly  rushing 
17* 


198  HISTORY  OF  THE 

on  to  attack  the  Three-bullet  gate,  being  the  part  of 
the  town  next  to  them  ;  and  this  it  was  that  princi- 
pally prevented  the  concerted  plan  of  assault  from 
being  carried   into   execution  ;  as  three  divisions  of 
their   forces  were    to    have   begnn   their  operations 
against  different  parts  of  the  town  at  the  same  time. 
This  particular  division,  therefore,  not  waiting  till 
the  other  two  should  have  reached  their  several  sta- 
tions of  action,  the  latter  not  only  did  not  proceed, 
but  were   seized  with   such   a   panic  that  they  dis- 
persed all  over  the  country,  flying  in  all  directions  to 
their  several  homes,  and  bearing  as  they  went  along 
the  tidings  of  a  total  defeat ;  and  this  derout  was,  in 
a  great  degree,   occasioned  by  the  example  of  one 
of    the   divisional    commanders,    who,    without   the 
least  effort  to  answer  the  intent  of  his  appointment, 
turned  away  from  the  action,  and  rode  hastily  home- 
ward.    Even    in    the    town    of    Wexford,    nineteen 
miles  distant  from  Ross,  the  news  of  a  defeat  was 
announced   at  an   early  hour  of  the  day,  by  many 
fugitives    who    had    taken    that   direction,    relating 
various  and  strange  adventures  to  account  for  their 
own  precipitate  flight.     One  fourth  of  the  numbers 
that  encamped  on  Corbet  Hill  the  evening  before, 
did  not  stand  in  the  morning  of  the  day  of  action, 
so  that  even  the  division  that  commenced  and  after- 
wards continued  the  assault,  was  by  no  means  com- 
plete, numbers  of  those  who   constituted   it  having 
also  abandoned  their  stations,  which  were  far  from 
being  adequately  supplied  by  such  of  the  two  panic- 
struck  divisions  as  had  the  courage  and  resolution  to 
join   in  the   battle  then   going    forward   and   in  its 
greatest   heat.     From    this    statement,    however,    it 
must  appear,  that  no  plan  was  pursued  in  the  attack 
by  the   insurgents,  but  that  whatever  they  accom- 
plished in  the  onset,  must  have  been  from  individual 


IRISH  REBELLION.  199 

courage  and  intrepidity.  They  first  dislodged  tlie 
army  from  behind  the  walls  and  ditches,  where  they 
were  very  advantageously  posted  ;  and  on  this  occa- 
sion the  cavalry,  in  their  charges,  were  repulsed 
with  considerable  loss.  Cornet  Dodwell  and  twenty- 
seven  men  of  the  fifth  dragoons  having  fallen  in  the 
first  onset.  The  military  then  retreated  into  the 
town,  through  the  Three-bullet  gate,  pursued  hot 
foot  by  the  insurgents,  who  obliged  them  to  move 
from  one  situation  to  another,  until  they  at  last  drove 
them  over  the  wooden-bridge  on  the  Barrow,  into 
the  county  of  Kilkenny.  The  main  guard  at  the 
market-house,  however,  consisting  of  a  sergeant  and 
fifteen  men,  not  only  maintained  their  situation,  but 
even  defended  it  with  uncommon  bravery  and  reso- 
lution, having  two  swivels  to  support  them.  Major 
Vandeleur,  of  the  Clare  militia,  also  continued  the 
whole  of  the  day,  with  a  strong  detachment  of  his 
regiment,  at  his  post  at  Irishtown,  where  he  stood 
pretty  severe  duty,  but  not  altogether  so  violent  as 
it  would  be  had  the  place  been  generally  attacked, 
according  to  Mr.  Harvey's  original  plan,  this  being 
the  principal  entrance.  When  the  insurgents  had 
thus  got  possession  of  the  town,  they  fell  to  plunder- 
ing and  drinking,  on  which  they  became  so  intent, 
that  they  could  not  be  brought  to  follow  up  their  ad- 
vantage. In  the  mean  time  the  army  rallied  on  the 
county  of  Kilkenny  side  of  the  bridge  ;  and  although 
a  retreat  was  before  determined  on,  yet  they  were 
induced  to  return  upon  perceiving  that  there  was  no 
pursuit,  and  besides  they  were  powerfully  instigated 
to  this  by  the  spirited  exhortations  of  Messrs.  M'Cor- 
mick  and  Devereux,  two  yeomen  not  possessed  of 
any  command,  but  the  display  of  whose  active  cour- 
age and  intrepidity  contributed  in  a  great  degree  to 
turn  the  fate  of  the  day,  and  to  whose  real  merit  ev- 


200  HISTORY  OF  THE 

ery  praise  is  justly  due  on  this  occasion,  wherein 
few  officers  distinguished  themselves,  as  may  be  fair- 
ly concluded  from  the  official  returns  of  the  killed 
and  wounded,  these  casualties  in  regard  to  the  offi- 
cers not  bearing  due  proportion  to  those  of  the  pri- 
vate men,  wliich  could  hardly  be  the  case  had  the 
former  maintained  their  stations  with  becoming  firm- 
ness. The  county  of  Dublin  militia,  on  hearing  of 
the  death  of  their  favorite  colonel,  Lord  Mountjoy, 
were  the  first  to  renew  the  attack  under  the  com- 
mand of  Major  Vesey.  Their  example  was  followed 
by  the  rest  of  the  troops,  and  their  united  efforts 
shortly  compelled  such  of  the  insurgents  as  were  not 
loo  drunk,  to  fly  out  of  the  town,  of  wliich  they  had 
been  by  this  time  some  hours  in  possession.  Hav- 
ing respired  a  little,  hpwever,  from  their  hasty  re- 
treat, which  in  a  great  degree  made  them  sober,  they 
again  returned  to  the  charge,  and  the  contest  which 
now  ensued  was  maintained  on  both  sides  with  great 
obstinacy,  both  parlies  being  induced,  by  experience 
of  the  former  encounter,  not  to  relax  their  exertions. 
The  intrepidity  of  the  insurgents  was  truly  remarka- 
ble, as  notwithstanding  the  dreadful  havoc  made  in 
their  ranks  by  the  artillery,  they  rushed  up  to  the 
very  mouths  of  the  cannon,  regardless  of  the  num- 
bers that  were  falling  on  all  sides  of  them,  and  push- 
ed forward  with  such  impetuosity,  that  they  obliged 
the  army  to  retire  once  more  and  leave  the  town  to 
themselves.  But  even  after  this  they  soon  fell  into 
the  same  misconduct  as  before,  crowning  their  bra- 
very with  drunkenness.  Of  this  the  proper  advan- 
tage was  quickly  taken  by  the  army,  who  again  re- 
newed the  attack,  by  which  they  finally  became  per- 
fect masters  of  the  town.  Several  houses  were  set 
on  fire  and  consumed  in  the  course  of  this  and  the 
former  attack,  but  one  of  these  deserves  particular 


IRISPI  REBELLION.  201 

notice  :  this  was  a  slated  house,  four  stories  high, 
on  the  summit  of  the  main  street  near  the  church, 
in  which  seventy-five  persons  were  burnt  to  ashes  ; 
none  having  escaped  but  one  njan,  who,  in  running 
away,  was  fortunate  enough  to  get  clear  of  the  fire 
of  the  soldiery.  On  the  evening  of  the  preceding 
Wednesday,  Mr.  Cullimore,  a  quaker,  wishing  to 
visit  his  family  at  his  country-house,  a  short  distance 
from  the  town,  was  taken  prisoner  as  he  attempted 
to  pass  the  patroles,  brought  in,  and  confined  in  the 
market-house,  from  v.'hicli  he  was  not  released  on 
the  day  of  battle,  as  if  it  were  by  the  special  inter- 
ference of  Providence,  for  some  of  the  military,  when 
they  imagined  the  day  going  against  them,  had  re- 
solved to  put  all  the  prisoners  in  the  town  to  death, 
but  when  a  party  of  those  on  guard  entered  the  place 
of  confinement  for  the  nefarious  purpose,  Mr.  Culli- 
more addressed  them  with  an  authoritative  and 
impressive  tone,  saying — "  You  shall  not  shoot  the 
j)risoners :  there  ai'e  some  men  here  as  loyal  as  you 
are.''  This  address  and  manner  of  a  man  better 
than  Marius,  awed  and  overcanie  the  sanguinary 
slaves,  so  that  they  retired  without  perpetrating  the 
horrid  crime  of  their  bloody  intent !  !  !  Some  offi- 
cers and  privates  of  the  king's  troops,  in  the  various 
success  of  the  day,  were  induced  from  time  to  time 
to  attempt  a  retreat  to  Waterford,  through  the  coun- 
ty of  Kilkenny.  Some  of  these  succeeded  in  their 
efforts  ;  and  from  their  unfavorable  accounts  of  the 
battle,  the  Roscommon  militia,  who  were  in  full 
march  towards  Ross,  turned  about  for  Waterford ; 
and  even  Captain  Dillon,  with  some  of  the  county 
of  Dublin  militia,  were  intercepted  and  put  to  death 
in  their  progress  by  the  country  people,  who,  on 
sight  of  the  fugitives,  and  on  the  report  of  the  suc- 
cess of  the  county  of  Wexford  insurgents,  were  ma- 


202  HISTORY   OF  THE 

king  every  preparation,  and  nearl}^  in  readiness,  to 
join  them.  Tiie  insurgents  being  upbraided  by  their 
chiefs  for  sullying  their  bravery  by  drunkenness, 
made  a  third  attempt  to  regain  the  town,  and  in  this 
they  displayed  equal  valor  with  what  they  exhibited 
in  the  earlier  part  of  the  day ;  but  by  this  time  the 
army  had  acquired  a  greater  degree  of  confidence  in 
their  own  strength,  while  several  houses  blazed  in 
tremendous  conflagration  ;  and  the  insurgents  re- 
ceived an  irreparable  loss,  when  their  intrepid  leader, 
John  Kelly  of  Killan,  whose  dauntless  valor  on  this 
day  was  but  too  conspicuous,  received  a  w'ound  in 
the  leg,  which  put  an  end  to  his  career  of  victory  ! 
Paralyzed  by  the  loss  of  such  a  man's  exertions,  and 
no  longer  able  to  withstand  the  violence  of  the  flying 
artillery,  the  insurgents  sounded  a  regular  retreat, 
bringing  away  with  them  a  piece  of  cannon  taken 
from  the  army  in  the  course  of  the  action,  having 
lost  one  which  they  brought  with  them,  together 
with  some  swivels  and  small  pieces  which  had  been 
drawn  on  for  mere  show,  and  which  could  not  be  of 
much  use  to  either  party.  The  insurgents  after  their 
defeat  returned  to  their  former  station,  having  en- 
camped this  night  at  Carrickbyrne. 

The  loss  of  the  army  on  this  day,  by  cflicial  state- 
ment, is  allowed  to  be  two  hundred  and  thirty,  in 
killed,  wounded,  and  missing  ;  but  that  of  the  insur- 
gents has  been  variously  reported  even  by  different 
eye-witnesses — some  making  it  but  five  hundred, 
while  others  state  it  at  two  thousand.  Indeed,  it  is 
impossible  to  ascertain  their  loss  during  the  battle  it- 
self, as  the  number  of  dead  is  said  to  be  doubly  ac- 
cumulated by  those  who  were  killed  unarmed  and 
unresisting  after  it  was  all  over.  Man}^  men  had 
become  so  intoxicated  in  the  course  of  the  day,  that 
they  were  incapable  of  flying  out  of  the  town  in  the 


IRISH  REBELLION.  203 

retreat  of  their  associates,  and  several  of  the  inliab- 
itants,  whose  houses  were  burnt,  and  having  there- 
fore no  place  to  retire  to,  fell  victims  alike  as  strag- 
gling insurgents  to  the  undistinguishing  fury  of  the 
irritated  soldiery,  from  which  no  person  could  escape 
who  was  not  clad  in  military  attire  of  one  kind  or 
other.  The  following  day  also  the  few  thatched 
houses  that  remained  unburnt,  being  the  only  places 
that  a  common  person  could  get  into,  were  closely 
searched,  and  not  a  man  discovered  in  them  left 
alive.  Some  houses  were  set  on  fire  even  so  throng- 
ed, that  the  corpses  of  the  suffocated  within  them 
could  not  fall  to  the  ground,  but  continued  crowded 
together  in  an  upright  posture,  until  they  were  taken 
out  to  be  interred.  I  cannot  suppose  that  these  hor- 
rid massacres  and  conflagrations  were  committed  in 
revenge  for  the  infernal  abomination  perpetrated  at 
Scullabogue,  of  which  I  shall  have  occasion  present- 
ly to  make  mention,  as  no  intelligence  of  that  lament- 
able event  could  have  reached  Ross  at  the  time  ;  but 
be  that  as  it  may,  officers  were  not  only  present,  but 
even  promoted  and  encouraged  those  deeds  of  dread- 
ful enormity,  of  which  every  breast  not  dead  to  hu- 
mane feeling  must  shudder  at  the  recital ! 

In  the  evening  after  the  action,  when  the  troops 
were  assembled  on  parade.  General  Johnson -singled 
out  Lieutenant  Egan  of  the  Royal  Irish  artillery, 
(now  captain  of  the  royal  artillery,)  to  whom  he  re- 
turned his  public  thanks  for  his  gallant  and  spirited 
conduct  during  the  action  ;  and  indeed,  every  praise 
is  due  to  this  officer,  who,  widi  a  part  of  the  Don- 
egal militia,  was  principally  instrumental  in  contrib- 
uting to  the  fate  of  the  battle.  Several  proposals 
were  made  to  the  general  to  abandon  the  town  and 
retreat  to  Kilkenny,  but  he  was  determined  to  stand 
as  long  as  he  had  a  man  to  support  him  ;    however, 


204  HISTORY  OF  THE 

had  the  troops  been  attacked  that  night,  the  prevalent 
opinion  is,  lliey  would  have  fled.  In  the  dispatches 
published,  thanks  were  returned  to  all  commanding 
officers.  The  uncommon  bravery  and  exertions  of 
Mr.  Edward  Devereux  appeared  so  meritorious  to 
General  Johnson,  that  he  was  offered  a  commission 
in  the  army,  which  his  mercantile  avocations  pre- 
vented him  from  accepting  of. 

It  is  an  invariable  maxim  that  cowardice  and  cru- 
elty are  very  closely  allied.  This  w^as  most  strongly 
exemplified  by  the  barbarous  conduct  of  the  runaway 
murderers  who  fled  from  the  battle  of  Ross  to  Scul- 
labogue,  where  a  number  of  prisoners  were  confined 
in  a  barn,  to  which  these  savage  miscreants  (having 
overpowered  the  guards,  who  resisted  them  as  long 
as  they  could)  set  fire,  and  made  every  person  within 
its  walls,  nearly  eighty  in  number,  perish  in  the 
flames.  One  hundred  and  eighty-four  are  confident- 
ly asserted  to  have  been  victims  on  tliis  melancholy 
occasion,  besides  thirty-seven  shot  and  piked  ;  but 
then  the  same  account  states,  that  the  barn  was  in 
dimensions  only  thirty-four  feet  long,  and  fifteen  feet 
wide  ;  and  it  is  not  therefore  within  the  limit  of  rea- 
sonable probability  that  there  were  so  many,  as  they 
would  have  been  so  closely  crammed  in,  that  the 
cruelty  of  such  confinement  could  not  escape  notice ; 
indeed,  in  such  case  they  could  scarcely  stand  to- 
gether and  respire.  I  am  therefore  led  to  believe, 
that  the  assertors  of  these  statements  have  been  im- 
posed upon,  as  eighty  persons  would  rather  crowd 
such  a  space  too  much  for  the  purposes  of  maintain- 
ing life  and  health ;  and  I  am  consequently  induced 
the  more  readily  to  think  the  information  more  cor- 
rect with  which  I  have  been  favored  by  respectable 
and  disinterested  authority  from  the  neighborhood  in 
which  the   nefarious   transaction  took  place  ;    and 


IRISH  REBELLION.  205 

surely  it  must  prove  grateful  to  every  mind  to  be  so 
agreeably  undeceived  respecting  the  fewer  number 
of  victims.  Wickedness  is  seldom  exhibited  only  in 
single  acts  of  depravity ;  it  scarcely  ever  omits  ex- 
erting every  possible  action  of  baseness.  Such  of 
the  victims  at  ScuUabogue  as  had  any  thing  about 
them  worth  taking,  were  plundered  before  being  con- 
signed to  their  horrible  fate.  It  is  alleged  on  the 
part  of  the  sanguinary  ruffians  concerned  in  this 
most  detestable  transaction,  that  it  was  in  retaliation 
for  like  deeds  of  desperate  cruelty  practised  against 
themselves,  and  irritated  as  they  were  from  recent 
experience  of  persecutions  and  tortures  of  every 
kind — whippings,  strangulations,  and  hangings  with- 
out trial,  which  some  of  the  party  had  narrowly  es- 
caped a  few  days  before  in  Ross,  w^here  these  meas- 
ures were  very  prevalent :  but  no  incentive,  no 
persecution,  no  experience  of  cruelty  can  palliate, 
much  less  excuse,  such  unnatural  and  detestable 
atrocity.  It  is  but  justice,  however,  to  observe,  that 
in  this  horrid  transaction,  no  person  of  superior  con- 
dition— none  above  the  mere  canaille,  or  lowest  de- 
scription of  men — was  at  all  concerned,  how^ever 
confidently  the  contrary  has  been  asserted  ;  but  in- 
famy of  this  indelible  nature  should  never  so  much 
as  glance  but  at  its  proper  objects.  Were  the  fact 
otherwise  than  as  here  slated,  it  must  have  been  no- 
toriously manifested  in  the  course  of  the  several  tri- 
als since  had  in  consequence  of  the  very  enormity, 
and  for  which  some  miscreants  have  been  justly 
doomed  to  execution.  But  truth  imposes  the  task 
of  mentioning  also,  that  it  has  appeared  from  solemn 
evidence  given  on  those  trials,  that  in  consequence 
of  the  insurgents  being  disappointed  in  their  expec- 
tation of  takmg  quiet  possession  of  Ross,  their  flag 
of  truce  being  shot,  and  after  the  attack,  the  fugitives 
18 


iSOS  HISTORY  OF  THE 

from  the  town  communicating  accounts  of  the  tor- 
lures  practised  there,  and  that  no  quarter  would  be 
given  to  the  people,  an  infuriated  multitude  of  men 
and  women  rushed  to  Scullabogue  vociferating  re- 
venge, forced  the  guards,  (who  did  all  in  their  power 
to  protect  their  charge,)  and  set  fire  to  the  prison, 
which  was  a  thatched  house  ;  and  for  this  transac- 
tion General  Johnson  has  not  escaped  animadversion, 
as  it  is  said  he  was  repeatedly  warned  to  spare  the 
people,  or  they  would  resort  to  retaliation,  by  execu- 
ting all  the  prisoners  in  their  hands  ;  and  if  giving 
quarter  would  have  prevented  the  fatality  at  Sculla- 
bogue, humanity  excites  a  w^ish  it  had  been  given. 
It  is  material  to  observe  also,  that  these  trials  have 
disclosed  information  manifesting  a  very  strong  fea- 
ture characteristic  of  popular  commotion,  which  is, 
that  the  unbridled  multitude  are  as  precipitate  as  in- 
discriminate in  their  deeds  of  outrage,  putting  them 
into  execution  as  soon  as  conceived,  to  prevent  the 
possibility  of  counteraction.  This  is,  in  fcict,  so  true, 
that  very  often  the  greatest  favorites  cannot  escape 
the  instantaneous  violence  of  popular  fury.  Although 
this  cannot  be  considered  as  an  excuse,  nothing  be- 
ing capable  of  palliating,  much  less  of  excusing  the 
crime  at  Scullabogue,  yet  its  guilt  would  be  greatly 
aggravated  did  it  appear  a  deliberate  or  premeditated 
action,  in  which  any  one  above  the  meanest  vulgar 
was  concerned.  Scullabogue  is  situated  at  the  foot 
of  the  eminence  of  Carrickbyrne,  whither  the  insur- 
gents defeated  at  Ross  retreated,  as  has  been  ob- 
served, and  upon  being  made  acquainted  with  the 
enormity,  which  all  brave  men  must  reprobate,  they 
universally  and  loudly  expressed  their  horror  and 
detestation  of  the  barbarous  deed  !  Surely,  it  is  easy 
to  conceive  that  the  men  who  had  so  lately  displayed 
such  a  dauntless  spirit  of  courage  and  consummate 


IRISH  REBELLION.  207 

bravery,  could  not  be  destitute  of  its  general  con- 
comitant— humanity.  To  counteract  the  reports  of 
religious  intolerance,  it  must  be  stated  that  fifteen 
or  sixteen  Catholics  shared  in  the  sorrowful  catas- 
trophe of  ScuUabogue,  whence  only  two  Protestants 
arid  one  Catholic  providentially  escaped.  It  must  be 
universally  allowed,  that  robbers  and  murderers  en- 
tertain no  reverence,  as  they  feel  no  awe  of  religion, 
in  the  commission  of  their  nefarious  acts ;  and  I  am 
confident  from  all  I  can  learn  of  the  melancholy  hor- 
rors of  ScuUabogue,  that  nothing  less  than  the  signal 
interference  of  Providence  can  be  considered  capable 
of  having  saved  any  person  who  was  within  the  ill- 
fated  barn  on  the  dreadful  day  of  its  conflagration  ! 
An  investigation  of  this  horrid  transaction  had  been 
firmly  determined  on,  which  subsequent  events  pre- 
vented from  being  carried  into  execution.  It  were 
much  to  be  wished  such  an  inquiry  had  taken  place, 
as  it  would  afford  no  room  for  misrepresentation.  On 
the  day  following,  a  proclamation,  in  the  form  of  res- 
olutions by  the  whole  insurgent  army,  was  publish- 
ed by  the  commander-in-chief,  signed  by  himself, 
and  countersigned  by  the  adjutant-general,  with  in- 
tention to  curb  all  excesses  against  hfe  and  property, 
and  encouraging  by  every  possible  means  union  and 
harmony  among  all  descriptions  of  the  people.  I 
deem  it  necessary  to  insert  it,  and  here  accordingly 
it  follows  : — 

"  At  a  meeting  of  the  general  and  several  officers 
of  the  united  army  of  the  county  of  Wexford,  the  fol- 
lowing resolutions  were  agreed  upon  : 

"  Resolved — That  the  commander-in-chief  shall 
send  guards  to  certain  baronies,  for  the  purpose  of 
bringing  in  all  men  they  shall  find  loitering  and  de- 
laying at  home  or  elsewhere  ;  and  if  any  resistance 


208  HISTORY  OF  THE 

be  given  to  those  guards,  so  to  be  sent  by  the  com- 
manding officer's  orders,  it  is  our  desire  and  orders 
that  such  persons  so  giving  resistance  shall  be  liable 
to  be  put  to  death  by  the  guards,  who  are  to  bear  a 
commission  for  that  purpose  ;  and  all  such  persons 
found  to  be  so  loitering  and  delaying  at  home,  when 
brought  in  by  the  guards,  shall  be  tried  by  a  court- 
martial,  appointed  and  chosen  from  among  the  com- 
manders of  all  the  diflferent  corps,  and  be  punished 
with  death. 

"  Resolved — That  all  officers  shall  immediately 
repair  to  their  respective  quarters,  and  remain  with 
their  different  corps,  and  not  depart  therefrom  under 
pain  of  death,  unless  authorized  to  quit  by  written 
orders  from  the  commander-in-chief  for  that  purpose. 

"  It  is  also  ordered,  that  a  guard  shall  be  kept  in 
rear  of  the  different  armies,  with  orders  to  shoot  all 
persons  who  shall  fly  or  desert  from  any  engage- 
ment ;  and  that  these  orders  shall  be  taken  notice  of 
by  all  officers  commanding  in  such  engagement. 

"  All  men  refusing  to  obey  their  superior  officers, 
to  be  tried  by  a  court-martial  and  punished  accord- 
ing to  their  sentence. 

"  It  is  also  ordered,  that  all  men  who  shall  attempt 
to  leave  their  respective  quarters  when  they  have 
been  halted  by  the  commander-in-chief,  shall  suffer 
death,  unless  they  shall  have  leave  from  their  officers 
for  so  doing. 

*'  It  is  ordered  by  the  commander-in-chief,  that  all 
persons  who  have  stolen  or  taken  away  any  horse  or 
horses,  shall  immediately  bring  in  all  such  horses  to 
the  camp,  at  head-quarters ;  otherwise  for  any  horse 
that  shall  be  seen  or  found  in  the  possession  of  any 
person  to  whom  he  does  not  belong,  that  person  shall, 
on  being  convicted  thereof,  suffer  death. 

"  And  any  goods  that  shall  have  been  plundered 


IRISH  REBELLION.  209 

from  any  house,  if  not  brought  in  to  head-quarters,  or 
returned  imnnediately  to  the  houses  or  owners,  that 
all  persons  so  pkmdering  as  aforesaid  shall,  on  being 
convicted  thereof,  suffer  death. 

**  It  is  also  resolved,  that  any  person  or  persons 
who  shall  take  upon  them  to  kill  or  murder  any  per- 
son or  prisoner,  burn  any  house,  or  commit  any  plun- 
der, without  special  written  orders  from  the   com- 
mander-in-chief, shall  suffer  death. 
"  By  order  of 
"  B.  B.  Harvey,  commander-in-chief, 
"Francis  Breen,  sec.  and  adj. 

"  Head-quarters,  Carrickbyrne 
camp,  June  6th,  1798." 

A  proclamation  of  similar  tendency  was  issued  at 
Wexford  on  the  7th,  addressed  to  the  insurgent  ar- 
mies by  General  Edward  Roche,  conceived  in  the 
following  words  : — 

"  TO  THE  PEOPLE  OF  IRELAND. 

"  Countrymen  and  fellow-soldiers  !  your  patriotic 
exertions  in  the  cause  of  your  country  have  hitherto 
exceeded  our  most  sanguine  expectations,  and  in  a 
short  time  must  ultimately  be  crowned  with  success. 
Liberty  has  raised  her  drooping  head  :  thousands 
daily  flock  to  her  standard  :  the  voice  of  her  children 
everywhere  prevails.  Let  us  then,  in  the  moment 
of  triumph,  return  thanks  to  the  Almighty  Ruler  of 
the  universe,  that  a  total  stop  has  been  put  to  those 
sanguinary  measures,  which  of  late  were  but  too  of- 
ten resorted  to  by  the  creatures  of  government,  to 
keep  the  people  in  slavery. 

**  Nothing  now,  my  countrymen,  appears  neces- 
sary to  secure  the  conquests  you  have  already  won, 
but  an  implicit  obedience  to  the  commands  of  your 
18* 


210  HISTORY  OF  THE 

chiefs  ;  for  through  a  want  of  proper  subordination 
and  disciphne,  all  may  be  endangered. 

"  At  this  eventful  period,  all  Europe  must  admire, 
and  posterity  will  read  with  astonishment,  the  heroic 
acts  achieved  by  people  strangers  to  military  tactics, 
and  having  few  professional  commanders — but  what 
power  can  resist  men  fighting  for  liberty  ! 

*'  In  the  moment  of  triumph,  my  countrymen,  let 
not  your  victories  be  tarnished  with  any  wanton  act 
of  cruelty :  many  of  those  unfortunate  men  now  in 
prison  were  not  your  enemies  from  principle  ;  most 
of  them,  compelled  by  necessity,  were  obliged  to  op- 
pose you :  neither  let  a  difference  in  religious  senti- 
ments cause  a  difference  among  the  people.  Recur 
to  the  debates  in  the  Irish  house  of  lords  on  the  19th 
of  February  last ;  you  will  there  see  a  patriotic  and 
enlightened  Protestant  bishop,  (Down,)  and  many  of 
the  lay  lords,  with  manly  eloquence  pleading  for 
Catholic  emancipation  and  parliamentary  reform,  in 
opposition  to  the  haughty  arguments  of  the  lord  chan- 
cellor, and  the  powerful  opposition  of  his  fellow- 
courtiers. 

"  To  promote  a  union  of  brotherhood  and  affection 
among  our  countrymen  of  all  religious  persuasions, 
has  been  our  principal  object :  we  have  sworn  in  the 
most  solemn  manner — have  associated  for  this  laud- 
able purpose,  and  no  power  on  earth  shall  shake  our 
resolution. 

*'  To  my  Protestant  soldiers  I  feel  much  indebted 
for  their  gallant  behavior  in  the  field,  where  they  ex- 
hibited signal  proofs  of  bravery  in  the  cause. 

"  Edward  Roche. 

"  Wexford,  June  7,  1798." 

I  should  have  mentioned  before,  that  in  the  even- 
ing of  the  day  on  which  the  insurgents  obtained  pes- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  211 

session  of  Enniscorlhy,  a  drummer  of  the  North  Cork 
mihtia,  who  had  some  time  before  refused  to  beat  his 
drum,  when  some  tune,  obnoxious  to  the  people,  was 
called  for,  or  to  whip  some  of  the  prisoners,  was 
found  hanging  in  the  lodgings  of  Mr.  Handcock,  a 
clergyman  and  magistrate,  who  resided  in  that  town  ! 
When  this  fact  became  generally  known,  it  is  impos- 
sible to  conceive  the  indignation  and  fury  it  excited 
in  the  minds  of  the  people,  already  flushed  with  vic- 
tory and  heated  by  intoxication.  They  considered 
the  murdered  soldier  as  a  victim  immolated  to  their 
cause  ;  they  conceived  he  had  met  that  fate  to  which 
thsy  were  all  doomed  unless  they  had  risen  against 
extermination.  The  more  violent  were  those  who 
themselves  or  their  friends  had  suffered  most  severe- 
ly, previous  to  the  insurrection,  and  they  instantly 
took  advantage  of  the  ferment  occasioned  by  this  cir- 
cumstance, to  wreak  their  vengeance  on  those  they 
considered  their  enemies,  who  still  remained  in  the 
town  after  it  had  been  evacuated  by  the  military. 
Many  were  put  to  death  in  consequence,  notwith- 
standing that  the  more  sensible  and  humane  part  en- 
deavored to  protect  the  unhappy  sufferers,  but  the 
voices  of  those  were  drowned  in  the  general  cry  of 
"  They  would  not  let  one  of  us  escape  if  we  were  in 
their  power — we  would  be  all  served  like  the  drum- 
mer." I  have  heard  many  who  were  present  when 
this  horrid  scene  took  place,  affirm  that  this  incident 
produced  an  effect  more  violent  and  instantaneous, 
and  excited  a  degree  of  phrensy  superior  to  any  thing 
they  had  witnessed  during  the  insurrection.  It  is 
evident  from  every  day's  experience,  that  causes  in- 
significant in  themselves  do  sometimes  produce  ef- 
fects the  most  lamentable  ;  and  that  artful  men  take 
advantage  of  such  incidents  in  all  tumultuary  pro- 
ceedings ;  and  considering  the  state  of  mind  of  the 


212  HISTORY   OF  THE 

populace  at  this  moment,  the  knowledge  of  such  a 
fact  must  have  had  a  powerful  operation.  It  is  re- 
markable that  Mr.  N.  Hinton's  house,  in  which  the 
drummer  was  found  hanging,  received  no  injury  from 
the  people,  as  they  considered  him  innocent  of  this 
abomination. 

Wliile  the  insurgents  kept  possession  of  the  town 
of  Enniscorlhy,  another  circumstance  occurred,  which 
produced  much  mischief.  The  cavalry  of  Newtown- 
barry  made  an  inroad  towards  the  insurgents'  camp, 
as  far  as  the  bridge  of  Scarawalsh,  which  is  three 
miles  from  Enniscorthy,  and  at  this  place  killed  a 
boy  who  was  an  idiot :  he  happened  to  be  the 
nephew  of  a  Catholic  priest  in  the  neighborhood  ; 
and  the  killing  of  this  cr-eature,  who  never  could  have 
made  use  of  hostile  weapons,  produced  a  violent  fer- 
ment which  was  not  appeased  until  the  people  sacri- 
ficed (as  if  to  his  manes)  twelve  or  fourteen  of  their 
prisoners.  These  facts,  if  any  are  w^anting,  show 
the  impolicy  and  wickedness  of  shedding  blood  un- 
necessarily, even  in  the  fury  of  war.  The  principle 
of  retaliation  is  strongly  implanted  in  the  human 
heart,  and  therefore  all  unnecessary  irritation  should 
be  sedulously  avoided. 

A  Guinea  cutter  having  struck  against  the  banks 
of  Blackwater,  unshipped  her  rudder  outside  the  bay 
of  Wexford,  where  she  cast  anchor ;  and  the  captain 
on  entering  the  harbor  to  get  it  repaired,  was  met  by 
one  of  the  cruising  boats,  and  the  vessel  was  accord- 
ingly seized  and  brought  in  as  a  prize.  Her  burden 
was  forty-five  tons,  she  was  copper-bottomed,  had 
six  small  cannon,  and  her  crew  were  eight  men.  She 
was  an  attendant  on  a  Guinea-man,  sailed  from  Liv- 
erpool a  few  days  before,  had  not  yet  received  her 
small-arms  on  board,  but  had  three  barrels  of  gun- 
powder, without  which  the  insurgents  would  have 


IRISH  REBELLION.  213 

been  totally  destitute  of  that  article,  as  the  three  bar- 
rels they  found  in  Wexford  barracks,  with  a  few 
hundred  cartridges,  some  small  casks  and  odd  pounds 
found  in  diilerent  shops  and  gentlemen's  houses,  con- 
stituted their  whole  original  stock,  which  by  this 
time  was  entirely  expended.  It  is,  indeed,  an  extra- 
ordinary fact,  that  the  insurgents  did  not  possess,  in 
the  whole  course  of  the  insurrection,  as  much  pow- 
der as  would  be  deemed  necessary  by  any  military 
man  for  the  supply  of  one  battle,  and  that  their  guns- 
men,  so  little  used  to  warfare,  never  retired  until  they 
had  fired  their  last  charge,  exhibiting  on  all  occasions 
amazing  intrepidity;  but  it  was  impossible  to  furnish 
fire-arms  for  the  numbers  offering  their  services. 
In  their  different  encampments  they  were  mostly 
armed  with  pikes,  and  there  was  scarcely  any 
kind  of  regularity  or  order  observed,  every  indi- 
vidual absenting  at  his  own  discretion,  so  that 
at  night  the  camps  were  almost  totally  deserted, 
but  were  in  the  day  as  crowded  as  ever.  Although 
most  of  the  people  of  Ireland  can  but  seldom  in- 
dulge in  the  luxury  of  eating  meat,  yet  as  the  vast 
numbers  of  the  insurgents  were  now  to  be  supplied 
with  this  article,  it  became  an  absolute  necessary. 
Such  immense  consumption  always  in  time  of  war, 
even  with  the  strictest  economy,  being  double  of  the 
quantity  that  would  supply  the  like  numbers  in  time 
of  peace,  must  of  itself  have  soon  deprived  the  coun- 
try of  all  its  cattle  ;  and  yet  this  provision  was  made 
use  of  with  profusion.  Corn  and  potatoes  were  put 
in  requisition  throughout  the  country,  and  Wexford 
was  obliged,  at  the  risk  of  being  burnt,  to  furnish  al- 
most all  the  other  supplies,  such  as  spirits,  beer,  to- 
bacco, salt,  and  leather.  Several  self-appointed  com- 
missaries, framing  different  excuses  as  it  were  for 
the  advantage  of  the  public  service,  while  their  prin^ 


214  HISTORY  OF  THE 

ciple  was  for  plunder  and  private  emolument,  absent- 
ed themselves  from  camp  and  became  horrible  pub- 
lic nuisances.     These  were  the  cowards  who  fled  in 
time  of  action,  and  generally  became  murderers  and 
robbers  ;  while   those  who   courageously  fought  as 
brave   men  in  the  field,   always  remained   at  their 
post,  never   absenting  without  leave,   and  although 
suffering  many  privations,  were  remarkable  for  cor- 
rect behavior   and  regular  conduct,  the  true  test  of 
brave  men ;  but  the  jmltroon  cravens,  who  deserted 
the  camps  on  various  pretences,  were  guilty  of  the 
most  desperate  deeds  of  outrage,  though  vauntingly 
boastful  of  actions  of  valor  ;  a  fact  which  not  only  con- 
firms  the  general  position  already  laid   down,  that 
cowardice  and  cruelty  are  constantly  united,  but  also 
that  the  vicious  frequently  affect  the  praises  of  virtue. 
While  the  brave  and  the  virtuous  were  otherwise  en- 
gaged so  as  not  to  have  it  in  their  power  to  counter- 
act the  depravity  of  the  knaves  and  cowards,  a  sad 
catalogue  of  victims  suffered  at  the  permanent  camp 
on  Vinegar  Hill ;  being  declared  enemies  of  the  peo- 
ple, on  the   accusation  of  one  or  more  persons,  for 
different  alleged  acts  of  cruelty  or  opposition  to  their 
interests  ;  and,  on  these  occasions,  it  was  almost  im- 
possible to  stem  the  torrent  of  popular  fury  ;  so  that 
the  conductors  and   accusers   of  the  summary  trials, 
thus  proceeded  upon,  were  in  very  many  instances 
but  too  successful  in  their  schemes  of  murder ;  not- 
withstanding the  strenuous  endeavors,  and  the  earnest 
entreaties  and  remonstrances  to  the  contrary  of  every 
humane  and  respectable  person  permitted  to  appear 
in    their    assemblage.     Of  these    there  were  many 
willing  enough  to  return  to  their  homes,  who  were 
however  prevented  from  apprehension  of  being  sacri- 
ficed themselves,  if  they  dared  to  act  in  any  manner 
contrary  to  the  will  of  the  populace.     It  has  been 


IRISH  REBELLION.  215 

confidently  asserted,  and  too  strongly  inculcated,  that 
the  insurgents  were  resolved  to  sacrifice  all  Protest- 
ants ;  of  this  the  best  refutation  is,  that  had  this  been 
their  principle  or  intention,  the  accomplishment  was 
in  their  power,  and  the  avoiding  its  perpetration  at 
the  angry  and  exasperated  moment  must  be  consid- 
ered conclusive  in  opposite  argument.  Indeed,  it  is 
too  evident  that  this  falsehood  has  been  industriously 
impressed  for  the  purpose  of  fostering  prejudice,  and 
of  continuing  baleful  division  among  the  several  de- 
scriptions of  the  people,  by  political  adventurers, 
who  shamefully  encourage  and  foment  those  animosi- 
ties which  have  brought  so  much  calamity  and  ruin 
on  the  country ;  of  which,  if  any  Irishman  requires 
further  proof,  the  eventful  history  of  his  country  since 
the  period  of  1798  is  abundantly  convincing  ;  and  I 
fondly  hope  the  charitable  discrimination  of  all  Irish- 
men will  induce  them  to  abandon  their  prejudices, 
and  cultivate  a  friendly  intercourse  with  each  other, 
and  I  am  confident  they  will  find  this  line  of  conduct 
connected  and  congenial  with  their  interests  and  hap- 
piness, as  it  will  prevent  their  being  cajoled  or  worked 
up  at  any  future  period  to  mutual  rancor,  to  answer 
the  ends  of  political  seducers,  as  the  destruction  of 
their  country  must  be  the  consequence.  All  Prot- 
estants who  had  the  good-will  of  their  neighbors,  and 
who  had  not  adventured  in  the  hanging,  burning, 
flogging,  shooting,  and  exterminating  system  that  im- 
mediately preceded  the  insurrection,  were  in  general 
as  safe  as  any  other  description  of  men  in  the  coun- 
try on  joining  the  people,  for  as  to  this  there  was  no 
alternative  :  but  it  must  be  acknowledged,  indeed, 
that  many  gentlemen  who  had  been  formerly  much 
liked,  were  considered  as  unpardonable  if  concerned 
in  any  exertion  against  the  people  of  the  description 
just   cited,    particular   instances   of    which  alleged 


216  HISTORY  OF  THE 

against  them  occasioned  the  imprisonment  and  death 
of  individuals.  It  is  asserted,  that  no  Catholic  was 
put  to  death.  Surely,  the  indiscriminate  destruction 
at  Scullabogue,  where  fifteen  or  sixteen  Catholics 
perished  with  the  rest  in  the  flames,  sufficiently  re- 
futes this  barefaced  assertion  ;  but  as  the  public  mind 
has  been  so  misled,  I  deem  it  absolutely  necessary 
to  state  other  facts  that  give  the  lie  to  surmise,  which, 
among  the  general  excesses  of  the  day,  would  not 
otherwise  deserve  historical  notice.  Two  Catholics 
were  put  to  death  by  the  people  in  Wexford — Francis 
Murphy  on  the  3d,  and  Joseph  Murphy  on  the  14th 
of  June,  both  for  being  informers.  Certainly  if  any 
Catholics  had  launched  forward  in  the  prevalent  mode 
of  suppressing  insurrection,  namely,  violation,  flagel- 
lation, conflagration,  deliberate  murder  and  extermi- 
nation, they  would  have  incurred  equal  odium  with 
any  Protestant,  or  even  infidel,  guilty  of  the  like 
deeds.  Catholics,  however,  not  being  of  the  privi- 
leged class,  (not  even  one  Catholic  justice  of  peace 
in  the  county,)  and  therefore  not  having  the  power  if 
they  had  the  inclination,  could  not  be  generally  in- 
volved with  the  people,  on  the  score  of  authority  or 
oppression,  and  this  may  satisfactorily  account  why 
so  few  Catholics,  comparatively  with  Protestants, 
were  sacrificed  to  popular  phrensy  and  irritation.  In 
all  the  proclamations  and  other  documents  published 
during  the  insurrection,  there  does  not  appear  the 
smallest  symptom  of  religious  bigotry  :  the  ver>^  con- 
trary is  even  manifest ;  but  should  it  be  any  longer 
insisted  on,  that  the  conduct  and  expressions  of  soli- 
tary individuals,  unequivocally  discountenanced  by 
the  great  majority,  were  the  sentiments  of  the  whole 
people,  it  must  be  stated  in  opposition,  and  the  ar- 
gument would  be  just  as  fair,  that  the  Protestants 
had  resolved  on  the  extermination  of  the  Catholics, 


IRISH  REBELLION.  217 

as  some  individuals  of  ihem  have  expressed  them- 
selves favorable  to  such  a  measure,  and  have  lament- 
ed the  arrival  of  Lord  Cornwallis  in  Ireland,  as  in 
their  mind  it  prevented  the  extirpation  of  the  whole 
of  the  hisurgenls,  by  them  denominated  Catholics. 
These  sentiments  have  been  so  notorious  as  to  find 
utterance  even  in  parliament. 

During  the  whole  period  of  the  insurrection  in  the 
county  of  Wexford,  it  is  a  fact  no  less  surprising 
than  true,  that  the  fair  sex  was  respected  even  by 
those  who  did  not  hesitate  to  rob  or  murder ;  no  one 
instance  existing  of  a  female  being  injured  or  violated, 
including  the  wives,  sisters,  and  daughters  of  those 
denominated  the  greatest  enemies  of  the  people,  in 
whose  conduct  appears  another  very  striking  feature: 
with  respect  to  the  king,  they  were  silent — his  ma- 
jesty's name  was  not  mentioned  with  disrespect,  nor 
was  he  considered  as  the  cause  of  their  misfortunes  ; 
but  indeed  they  preserved  no  such  delicacy  with  re- 
spect to  the  characters  of  those  whom  they  consider- 
ed the  promoters  and  supporters  of  their  persecu- 
tions :  they  reviled  them  in  the  strongest  terms  of 
reprobation,  and  did  not  spare  many  of  their  lives  or 
properties. 

In  case  of  plunder  I  believe  no  person  was  spared 
that  was  not  at  iiome  to  prevent  it,  or  who  was  not 
fortunate  enough  to  have  a  confidential  person  to 
welcome  the  marauders,  who  pleaded  the  public  ser- 
vice in  excuse  of  robbery  and  outrage  ;  but  meat  and 
drink,  if  freely  offered  and  supplied,  generally  pre- 
served a  house  from  otherwise  inevitable  direption. 
On  these  occasions,  CathoHcs  and  Protestants  were 
alike  subject  to  depredation.  I  possessed  perhaps 
as  much  popularity  as  any  person  in  the  county  of 
Wexford,  and  notwithstanding  this  and  my  being  a 
Catholic,  I  w^as  plundered  by  the  insurgents  in  the 
19 


218  HISTORY  OF  THE 

very  outset  :  I  lost  all  that  could  possibly  be  taken 
from  me  ;  my  doors  and  windows  were  broken  open 
to  get  at  my  guns  and  pistols  ;  my  desks  and  trunks 
were  searched  and  rifled  ;  my  horses  and  mules 
were  all  rode  off;  and  for  this  and  the  like  robberies 
the  depredators  would  plead  the  public  service. 
Several  persons  who  had  been  much  disliked  by  the 
populace,  had  the  good  fortune  to  possess  faithfiil 
servants,  who  by  a  free  offer  of  what  was  wanted  in 
the  house,  saved  all  the  rest ;  while  many  others 
who  were  much  beloved  by  the  people,  suffered  con- 
siderably in  their  houses  and  properties,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  dishonesty  of  those  who  were  left  in 
care  of  them,  as  they  countenanced  and  encouraged 
pillage,  in  hopes  thereby  to  screen  their  own  villany, 
in  appropriating  to  themselves  the  best  and  most 
valuable  part  of  the  plunder. 

Great  numbers  crowded  mto  Wexford  from  the 
different  camps  and  other  parts  of  the  country  de- 
manding supplies  of  salt,  tobacco,  spirits,  and  leath- 
er ;  threatening  to  set  fire  to  the  town  in  case  of  re- 
sistance or  w^ant  of  immediate  compliance.  The 
mode  adopted  in  managing  the  supplies  was,  that  the 
committee  issued  orders  to  those  possessing  any  of 
the  articles  in  demand,  to  furnish  the  same  in  a  spe- 
cified quantity ;  but  the  frequency  of  application  so 
multiplied  their  employment,  that  it  was  not  possible 
for  them  to  attend  to  all  the  various  business  that 
accumulated  upon  them  ;  and  finding  themselves 
unequal  to  the  task,  they  were  obliged  to  call  for  as- 
sistance, and  a  separate  committee  for  each  article 
in  demand  was  consequently  appointed.  To  please 
the  lower  classes,  who  had  expressed  dissatisfaction, 
some  of  them  were  now  associated  with  those  of 
higher  rank,  in  this  discharge  of  public  duty,  the 
trouble  and  vexation  of  which  they  had  no  conception 


IRISH  REBELLION  219 

of  until  they  shared  in  the  labor,  whereby  those 
originally  appointed  were  greatly  relieved,  and  the 
common  people  henceforward  proved  less  trouble- 
some to  ihem,  as  their  compeers  and  companions 
were  more  successful  in  their  arguments,  to  per- 
suade them  of  the  great  difficulty  of  supplying  them 
in  as  large  quantities  as  before,  and  so  reconciling 
them  to  accept  of  less.  Various  plunder  took  place 
on  the  insurgents  taking  possession  of  the  town, 
great  part  of  which  was  afterwards  restored,  as  or- 
ders were  issued  that  all  kinds  of  property  not  be- 
longing to  those  in  whose  possession  it  might  be 
found,  should  be  returned  on  pain  of  severe  punish- 
ment. The  court-house  in  Wexford  was  the  depos- 
itory for  such  property,  which  the  owners  recovered 
on  making  their  claim. 

The  peace  and  quietness  existing  in  the  town  of 
Wexford  during  the  insurrection,  except  the  little 
disturbance  now  and  again  occasioned  by  the  vocif- 
erous commissaries  from  the  camps,  was  very  re- 
markable. At  night  particularly,  the  most  solemn 
silence  continually  prevailed,  as  all  the  inhabitants 
retired  early  to  rest,  and  the  utmost  regularity  of 
conduct  and  peaceable  behavior  was  observed.  The 
weather  was  remarkably  warm  and  serene,  and  the 
physicians  in  town  apprehended  a  contagious  jail  fe- 
ver from  the  numbers  in  confinement.  Among  the 
several  expedients  to  remedy  this  evil,  it  was  sug- 
gested to  make  the  church  a  lodgment  for  prisoners, 
being  considered  a  healthy  and  eligible  situation,  and 
then  deserted  by  the  Protestants  as  their  place  of 
worship  ;  but  this  scheme  was  warmly  and  effectu- 
ally opposed  by  the  principal  Catholics,  as  it  might 
be  deemed  disrespectful  to  the  seat  of  the  Protestant 
worship,  while  those  of  the  latter  persuasion  were 
eager  and  urgent  to  have  it  so  occupied,  in  order,  as 


220  HISTORY  OF  THE 

they  said,  to  thin  llie  crowds  confined  in  the  common 
prison.  As  a  substitute  for  this  disappointment,  the 
assembly-room  was  then  resorted  to,  and  fifty  of  the 
prisoners  were  confined  there,  while  tw^enly-four  of 
the  principal  gentlemen  were  sent  on  board  a  sloop 
in  the  harbor,  which  had  been  filled  out  for  that  pur- 
pose. Another  sloop  had  been  also  intended  for  like  oc- 
cupancy, but  soon  condemned  as  unfit  for  that  service. 
To  endeavor  to  please  the  people,  who  were  very 
vociferous  against  all  those  they  considered  as  oc- 
casioning the  cruelties  practised  against  them,  the 
following  proclamation  was  issued  : — 

PROCLAMATION    OF    THE    PEOPLE    OF    THE   COUNTY    OF 
WEXFORD. 

"  Whereas  it  stands  manifestly  notorious,  that 
James  Boyd,  Hawtrey  White,  Hunter  Gowan,  and 
Archibald  Hamilton  Jacob,  late  magistrates  of  this 
county,  have  committed  the  most  horrid  acts  of  cru- 
elly, violence,  and  oppression  against  our  peaceable 
and  well-disposed  countrymen  :  now  we  the  people 
associated  and  united  for  the  purpose  of  procuring 
our  just  rights,  and  being  determined  to  protect  the 
persons  and  properties  of  those  of  all  religious  per- 
suasions, who  have  not  oppressed  us,  and  are  willing 
to  join  with  heart  and  hand  our  glorious  cause  ;  as 
well  as  to  show  our  marked  disapprobation  and  hor- 
ror of  the  crimes  of  the  above  delinquents,  do  call  on 
our  countrymen  at  large,  to  use  every  exertion  in 
their  power  to  apprehend  the  bodies  of  ihe  aforesaid 
James  Boyd,  Hawtrey  White,  Hunter  Gowan,  and 
Archibald  Hamilton  Jacob,  and  to  secure  and  convey 
them  to  the  jail  of  Wexford,  to  be  brought  before 
the  tribunal  of  the  people.  Done  at  Wexford,  this 
9th  day  of  June,  1798. 

"  God  save  the  people." 


IRISH  REBELLION.  221 

The  camp,  which  had  been  stationed  at  Carrick- 
byrne,  removed  to  Slykielter,  where  the  encampment 
continued  for  a  few  days,  while  nothing  remarkable 
happened,  except  some  ineffectual  attacks  that  were 
made  on  the  gunboats  going  up  the  Barrow  from 
Passage  to  Ross  ;  and  a  mail  was  taken,  going  from 
Ross  to  Waterford  by  water,  and  sent  to  Wexford. 

The  country  was  so  guarded  in  every  quarter  as 
to  have  a  party  stationed  at  every  cross-road,  and 
this  service  was  allotted  lo  the  old  and  infirm,  or 
such  as  were  incapable  of  bearing  the  fatigue  of 
marching ;  but  they  were  also  attended  by  many 
others  who  absented  themselves  from  the  camps  on 
various  pretences  :  some  women  and  children  were 
likewise  lo  be  seen  at  these  several  posts  ;  and  the 
vigilance  was  such,  that  no  person  could  pass  un- 
known, nor  was  it  possible  to  be  at  liberty  and  be 
considered  neuter ;  notwithstanding  all  the  boastful 
vaunlings  to  the  contrary  of  some  who  think  to  re- 
commend themselves  by  these  impositions.  I  am 
confident  such  assertions  are  utterly  unfounded,  for 
certainly  no  person  could  remain  at  liberty  who  was 
not  considered  friendly  to  the  people  ;  yet  still  I  am 
far  from  being  of  opinion,  that  every  person  who 
joined  the  insurgents  acted  from  cordial  motives, 
however  professing  great  zeal  and  alacrity  in  the 
cause  ;  but  the  imperious  necessity  of  the  times 
was  such,  as  to  induce  numbers  to  humor  the  people 
so  far,  as  not  to  say  or  do  any  thing  that  might  in 
any  degree  be  construed  as  opposition  to  them  ;  and 
any  impartial  person  must  be  convinced,  on  a  fair 
inquiry  into  the  nature  of  popular  commotion,  that  it 
would  be  impossible  to  control  the  actions  of  a  mul- 
titude, under  such  circumstances  as  then  existed  in 
the  county  of  Wexford  :  an  irritated  populace  be- 
coming masters  of  a  country,  are  ever  ungovernable ; 
19* 


222  HISTORY  OF  THE 

and,  indeed,  those  who  vaunt  most  at  present  of  not 
haviniT  ^nelded  to  ihcm,  were  more  than  any  others 
profuse  in  their  professions,  and  have  gone  farther 
than  those  whom  ihey  now  revile  in  the  most  unjus- 
tifiable manner.  Some  also  who  were  thus  involved, 
having  fled  the  country  early,  now  pretend  to  ask, 
why  an  escape  was  not  effected  by  such  as  were  not 
well  inclined  to  the  cause  of  the  insurgents,  if  not  in 
confinement  ?  Ahhough  it  may  not  have  been  alto- 
gether impossible,  yet  it  was  not  very  probable,  that 
any  one  could  get  out  of  the  country  without  the 
consent  of  the  people,  which  must  have  been  obtain- 
ed by  imposing  on  them  by  the  pretence  of  friendship, 
to  whom  the  person  must  shortly  after  have  appeared 
a  traitor,  (a  character  not  very  enviable,  under  the 
most  favorable  circumstances,)  which  conduct  would 
have  endangered  the  safety  of  his  family  and  friends, 
if  he  had  any,  as  well  as  that  of  his  property  ;  so 
that  I  think  it  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  those  who 
urge  this  argument  would  not  have  attempted  an  es- 
cape, were  they  in  the  place  of  those  whose  conduct 
they  scrutinize. 

A  pitched  cap  being  found  in  the  barrack  of  Wex- 
ford, and  an  orange  commission  or  warrant  appoint- 
ing a  sergeant  of  the  North  Cork  militia  to  found  an 
orange  lodge  in  the  town,  roused  the  people  from 
the  utmost  tranquillity  to  the  highest  pitch  of  fury. 
This  quickly  drew  together  great  numbers  in  the 
barrack-yard,  and  their  horror  of  the  orange  system 
was  so  excited,  that  in  those  emblems  they  imagined 
they  possessed  the  most  convincing  proof  of  their  in- 
tended extermination.  After  a  variety  of  confused 
exclamations  against  the  promoters,  it  was  resolved 
to  clap  the  pitched  cap  on  the  head  of  the  orange 
lord,  who,  they  said,  had  been  the  introducer  of  that 
system  in  the  county  of  Wexford.     They  according- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  22^ 

ly  proceeded  from  the  barrack,  exhibiting  the  pitched 
cap  on  the  top  of  a  pike,  displaying  at  the  same  lime 
the  orange  commission  or  warrant,  and  were  in  di- 
rect march,  with  violent  shouts  of  exultation,  to  Lord 
Kingsborough's  lodging.  I  was  in  the  act  of  bathing 
at  the  time,  and  hearing  the  tumultuous  noise,  I 
dressed  quickly  and  arrived  at  the  house  along  with 
them.  I  went  up  to  Lord  Kingsborough's  room  and 
sought  to  appease  ihe  multitude  by  addressing  them 
from  the  window  ;  but  this  was  not  effected  till  many 
of  the  principal  inhabitants  were  brought  to  the  scene 
of  tumult ;  when  one  of  them,  on  pretence  of  looking 
at  the  pitched  cap,  took  and  threw  it  over  the  quay, 
and  the  hated  emblem  being  no  longer  in  view,  the 
fury  of  the  people  abated,  the  orange  commission  or 
warrant  was  taken  from  them,  and  they  dispersed  ; 
nor  was  there  any  thing  more  heard  of  the  affair  un- 
til the  next  morning,  when  the  captain  of  the  guard 
for  the  day,  (having  every  thing  previously  arranged 
and  ready,  after  parade,  when  all  others  had  retired 
to  breakfast,  and  on  his  own  mere  authority,)  took 
down  Lord  Kingsborough  and  his  two  officers  to  the 
quay,  and  conducted  them  on  board  the  ship  that 
had  been  fitted  out  but  condemned,  where  he  provi- 
ded them  with  abundance  of  fresh  straw,  and  placed 
a  detachment  of  his  guard  over  them.  All  this  was 
executed  with  such  haste  and  precaution,  that  it  was 
not  for  some  time  known  to  the  principal  inhabitants. 
These,  however,  on  hearing  of  the  affair,  assembled 
and  appealed  to  the  people,  then  collected  to  know 
what  was  the  matter.  They  represented  to  them, 
that  as  these  officers  had  surrendered  on  condition 
of  being  treated  as  prisoners  of  war,  they  ought  not 
to  be  confined  on  board  a  condemned  ship  ;  and  the 
consequence  was,  that  two  boat-loads  of  butchers 
were  sent  on  board  to  examine  and  inspect  the  state 


224  HISTORY  OF  THE 

of  the  vessel,  on  whose  report  that  she  was  not  fit 
for  a  pig  to  be  confined  in,  Lord  Kingsborough  and 
his  officers  were  brought  back  to  their  former  situa- 
tion, where  they  remained  until  the  surrender  of  the 
town ;  the  vessel  was  then  hauled  into  the  harbor, 
where  she  sunk  within  a  foot  of  her  deck. 

From  the  great  heat  and  violence  of  the  people 
against  Lord  Kingsborough,  in  consequence  of  re- 
ports of  his  cruelty  and  exertions  in  flogging,  and 
the  other  modes  previously  practised  for  quieting 
the  people,  different  parties,  from  town  and  country, 
frequently  proceeded  to  the  house  where  he  was 
confined,  with  an  intention  of  putting  him  to  death ; 
but  the  guards  always  refused  to  give  him  out  to 
them  without  an  order,  and  during  the  delay  thus 
occasioned,  providentially  for  his  lordship,  one  or 
other  of  the  principal  inhabitants  usually  came  up, 
and  by  representing  the  conditions  which  had  been 
promised  him  on  surrendering,  they  prevailed  on  the 
people  to  depart.  Considering  the  great  fury  of  the 
people  against  Lord  Kingsborough  for  his  previous 
violent  exertions,  being  reported  very  cruel  and  san- 
guinary, his  escape  must  be  considered  really  won- 
derful, if  not  truly  astonishing ;  and  I  can  account 
for  it  in  no  other  manner,  than  that  the  county  of 
Wexford  not  having  been  his  scene  of  action,  and 
there  existing  no  knid  of  communication  with  any 
other  quarter,  there  could  not  possibly  be  any  posi- 
tive proof  adduced  of  his  actions,  except  in  a  solitary 
instance,  which  was  easily  got  over.  His  lordship 
had  been,  previous  to  his  imprisonment,  but  a  very 
short  time  in  Wexford,  as  he  left  that  town  in  two  or 
three  days  after  he  had  marched  into  it  with  his  regi- 
ment. But  some  of  his  officers  had  observed  a  lady 
at  a  window,  viewing  the  troops  as  they  came  in, 
who  attracted  their  particular  notice.     After  dinner, 


IRISH  REBELLION.  225 

at  which  the  bottle  had  pretty  freely  circulated,  the 
recollection  of  the  sight  of  this  lady  had  so  far  work- 
ed on  the  minds  of  some  of  the  lads,  ihat  they  pro- 
posed to  sally  forth  and  endeavor  to  obtain  a  nearer 
view  of  her  ;  and  Lord  Kingsboroiigh,  being  a  young 
man  himself,  humored  the  frolic,  and  accompanied 
them.  Not  gaining  admittance,  however,  as  they 
expected,  the}^  in  the  military  style  resolved  to  storm 
the  premises  ;  and  his  lordship,  being  a  tall,  athletic 
man,  raised  one  of  the  officers  on  his  shoulders,  who 
was  thereby  enabled,  as  the  house  was  low,  to  get 
in  through  a  window  in  the  second  story.  The  lady's 
husband  was  absent,  and  herself  quite  alone  in  the 
house,  but  on  perceiving  their  intentions  she  got  out 
by  a  back-window,  and  thus  eluded  their  design,  as 
well  as  put  an  end  to  any  further  progress  in  this  ad 
venture.  When  his  lordship  afterwards  became  a 
prisoner,  this  was  quoted  as  an  unfavorable  circum- 
stance, but  it  was  obviated  with  little  difficulty  by 
an  argument,  (not  at  all  intending  to  throw  the  least 
reflection  on  the  lady's  character,)  which  was,  that 
her  husband  was  himself  a  prisoner  with  the  people, 
against  whom,  therefore,  the  offence  could  never 
have  been  intended,  as  no  attempt  of  the  kind  had 
been  made  on  any  of  their  wives  or  families,  but  was 
an  msult  offered  by  one  whom  they  called  an  enemy, 
to  another  whom  they  thought  deserving  of  the  same 
appellation.  This  point  being  thus  settled,  and  all 
other  accusations  against  his  lordship  being  general, 
they  were  the  more  easily  overcome  ;  but  had  they 
been  particular  the  event  might  have  been  quite  oth- 
erwise, as  the  injured  person  or  persons,  for  the  most 
part,  would  not  listen  to  any  kind  of  reasoning,  but 
obstinately  held  out  and  persevered  in  their  accusa- 
tions and  complaints,  which  they  so  feelingly  im- 
pressed on  the  assemblage  of  people  appealed  to  on 


226  HISTORY  OF  THE 

such  occasions,  that  they  usually  gained  over  their 
S5'mpathelic  approbation  of  the  measures  ihey  pro- 
posed, and  would  thus  succeed  against  all  interces- 
sion. Of  this  truth  I  had  most  sensible  experience  ; 
for  although  I  proved  on  several  occasions  providen- 
tially instrumental  in  saving  lives,  I  was  utterly  in- 
capable in  other  instances  :  particularly  I  found  it 
totally  out  of  my  power,  notwithstanding  the  many 
means  I  sought,  to  rescue  my  ever  to  be  regretted, 
dear,  and  valuable  friend,  Mr.  Turner,  from  the  fury 
of  the  people,  by  whom  he  had  been  previously  very 
much  beloved ;  but  all  his  former  popularity  was 
eclipsed  by  his  having  been  unfortunately  worked 
up  to  set  fire  to  some  houses  ;  and  this  being  well 
known  to  the  people  of  the  country,  his  safety  be- 
came an  impossibility.  Taking  the  cases  of  Mr. 
Turner  and  Lord  Kingsborough  in  any  point  of 
view,  and  considering  my  frequent  success  in  pre- 
serving the  man  with  whom  his  misfortune  alone 
made  me  acquainted,  while  my  most  earnest  and 
anxious  endeavors  to  protect  the  friend  of  my  bosom 
were  fatally  ineffectual,  local  circumstances  alone 
can  explain  the  consequences..  But  how  variously 
\yill  prejudice  and  misrepresentation  detail  and  expa- 
tiate on  such  intricate  facts,  according  to  the  feeling, 
inclination,  or  judgment  of  the  narrator,  who,  if  he 
be  not  a  sensible  or  unbiased  eye-witness,  discrim- 
inating and  dauntless  during  the  period  of  danger,  or 
discerning  in  selection  of  report,  will  afterwards  dis- 
play the  thoughts  of  latent  bigotry,  wilful  perversion 
of  truth,  or  the  flimsy  tissue  of  hearsay  information, 
varied  and  altered  into  different  shapes  of  falsehood, 
according  to  the  several  dispositions  of  the  circulators ; 
but  ocular  evidence  must  ever  supersede  the  accounts 
of  rumor,  even  of  ever  such  boasted  authenticity, 
when  discrimination  may  be  overpowered  by  terror. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  $27 

The  insurgents  in  the  different  camps  being  in 
great  want  of  gunpowder,  without  which  they  could 
not  proceed,  remained  stationary  for  several  days,  as 
the  powder  in  Wexford  was  considered  too  little  for 
its  defence,  and  different  reports  were  circulated,  that 
it  was  to  be  attacked  from  the  southern  quarter.  The 
demand  for  gunpowder,  however,  from  the  camp  on 
Gorey  Hill  was  so  pressing,  that  a  barrel  of  it  was 
sent  thither  from  Wexford  to  enable  the  insurgents 
to  proceed  to  Arklow,  which,  on  the  defeat  of  Colo- 
nel Walpole,  had  been  deserted  by  the  military  ;  but 
the  inhabitants  of  which,  on  being  left  to  themselves, 
remained  quietly  at  home,  imitating  the  example  that 
had  been  set  them  at  Gorey,  before  the  battle  of  Tub- 
berneering,  when  they  were  forced  and  overwhelmed 
into  the  system  of  the  insurrection.  The  Cavan 
militia  was  ordered  from  Dublin  to  join  Colonel  Wal- 
pole's  division,  then  under  General  Needham,  and 
they  marched  into  Arklow  on  the  6th  of  June  ;  dif- 
ferent other  parties  of  the  military  arrived  there  on 
the  7th  and  8lh,  and  on  the  9th  the  garrison  was  con- 
siderably reinforced  by  the  Durham  fencibles,  who 
suffered  no  fatigue  in  their  way  from  Dublin,  as  they 
had  been  conveyed  in  carriages  and  jaunting-cars 
pressed  for  that  purpose  :  the  whole  force  in  Arklow 
amounted  all  together  to  sixteen  hundred  men.  The 
insurgents  had  marched  from  Gorey  Hill  to  Colgre- 
ny,  where  arranging  their  mode  of  attack,  they  pro- 
ceeded in  two  great  columns — one  towards  the  fishery 
on  the  sea-side,  and  the  other  towards  the  upper  end 
of  the  town,  the  attack  being  to  be  made  on  both 
ends  of  the  town  at  once.  The  military,  having  full 
notice  of  the  approach,  w^cre  very  advantageously 
posted,  without  which  they  could  not  have  resisted 
the  impetuous  attack  made  upon  them  ;  however, 
they  were   obliged  to   retire  somewhat   from  their 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

original  positions.  In  a  violent  effort  to  gain  the  up- 
per end  of  the  town,  the  Rev.  Michael  Murphy,  who 
led  on  the  insurgents  on  that  side,  fell,  and  this  stop- 
ped the  progress  and  prevented  the  success  of  the 
attenript.  Variously  did  the  fortune  of  the  day  seem 
to  incline  ;  it  is  necessary,  however,  to  mention  that 
rumors  of  a  retreat  of  the  troops  were  circulated,  and 
that  orders  were  given,  and  seeming  preparations 
made  for  that  purpose  ;  but  this  still  appears  a  dis- 
puted point,  and  as  the  proverb  has  it,  "  all  is  well 
that  ends  well."  The  insurgents,  after  having  dis- 
played singular  bravery,  courage,  and  intrepidity  as 
long  as  their  ammunition  lasted,  retreated,  when  that 
was  expended,  to  their  former  position  at  Gorey  : 
and  thus  ended  the  battle,  at  the  very  moment  it  was 
alleged  the  army  had  intended  to  retreat ;  and  most 
undoubtedly  my  information  warrants  me  to  mention, 
that  some  of  the  mihtary  had  already  retreated  ;  and  I 
cannot  positively  say  that  they  might  not  have  had  good 
authority  for  their  conduct.  Although  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Gordon  had  documents  from  under  the  hand  of  a  dis- 
tinguished officer.  Colonel  Bainbridge,that  sufficiently 
warrant  the  assertion,  it  was,  however,  generally 
circulated  by  many  that  were  in  the  action  ;  and  as 
upon  the  whole  I  would  not  readily  admit  hearsay 
evidence,  but  on  the  clearest  conviction  of  the  truth, 
yet  I  think  my  account  would  be  deficient  if  I  omit- 
ted to  mention  an  important  fact,  and  upon  which  so 
much  stress  is  laid,  as  related  by  Mr.  Gordon. 

"  Many  instances  might  be  given  of  men,  who,  at 
the  hazard  of  their  own  lives,  concealed  and  main- 
tained loyalists  until  the  storm  passed  away ;  on  the 
other  hand,  many  might  be  given  of  cruelties  com- 
mitted by  persons  not  natives  of  Ireland  :  I  shall 
mention  only  one  act,  not  of  what  I  shall  call  cruelty, 
since  no  pain  was   inflicted,  but  ferocity  not  calcu- 


XRISH   REBELLION.  229 

lated  to  soften  the  rancor  of  the  insurgents.  Some 
soldiers  of  the  ancient  British  regiment  cut  open  the 
dead  body  of  Father  Michael  Murphy,  after  the  bat- 
tle of  Arklow,  took  out  his  heart,  roasted  his  body, 
and  oiled  their  boots  with  the  grease  which  dripped 
from  it.  Mr.  George  Taylor,  in  his  historical  ac- 
count of  the  Wexford  rebellion,  (page  136,)  says — 
*  Lord  Mountnorris  and  some  of  liis  troop,  in  view- 
ing the  scene  of  action,  found  the  body  of  the  per- 
fidious priest  Murphy,  who  so  much  deceived  him 
and  the  country.  Being  exasperated,  his  lordship 
ordered  the  head  to  be  struck  off,  and  his  body  to  be 
thrown  into  a  house  that  was  burning,  exclaiming, 
let  his  body  go  where  his  soul  is.''  I  hope  that  the 
writer  was  misinformed,  and  that  the  noble  earl,  re- 
markable for  his  liberality  to  Romanists,  was  not  the 
author  of  this  act."* 

The  only  time  I  was  ever  in  company  with  the 
priest  just  mentioned,  certainly  was  at  Lord  Mount- 
norris's  house,  in  1797,  when  his  lordship  was  en- 
gaged in  the  plan  of  procuring  signatures  of  loyalty 
from  the  Catholics  ;  and  I  understand  that  this  priest 
grccitly  contributed  to  the  success  of  that  undertaking, 
which  was  afterwards  much  reflected  on,  and  from 
the  aspersions  that  were  thrown  out,  it  w^as  probable 
that  his  lordship  was  induced,  by  this  coup  de  mainy 
to  prove  to  the  world  that  he  was  not,  though  he  was 
supposed  to  have  been,  a  friend  to  Catholics.  Such 
transactions  as  took  place  on  this  occasion,  it  must 
be  observed,  are  the  more  lamentable,  not  only  as 
they  of  themselves  serve  to  keep  up  animosity,  but 
much  more  so  when  they  are,  not  to  say  connived  at, 
but  even  encouraged  by  persons  of  the  highest  rank*, 
while  all  persons  of  humanity,  but  even  a  degree 

*  See  Gordon's  history  of  tho  rebellion,  pages,  212,  213. 
20 


1330 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


above  the  lowest  vulgar,  and  even  the  humane  of 
these,  (for  tiiey  are  far  from  being  in  general  desti- 
tute of  the  principle  in  Ireland,)  and  especially  all 
who  have  received  any  degree  of  education,  should 
set  their  faces  against  such  pitiful  acts  of  ferocious 
cruelly,  as  would  disgrace  the  vilest  savages. 

While  I  am  on  the  subject  of  the  Rev.  Michael 
Murphy's  death,  I  must  beg  leave  to  express  the 
opinion  I  have  adopted,  in  conjunction  with  the  most 
sensible  and  rational  men  that  I  have  conversed  with 
on  the  subject,  respecting  the  priests  who  were  ac- 
tive in  the  insurrection.  When  clergymen  so  far 
forget  their  duty  as  to  take  up  arms,  so  contrary  to 
the  spirit  of  the  Gospel,  they  become  most  danger- 
ous men  ;  and  the  sooner  such  are  cut  off  by  any 
fatal  catastrophe  the  better.  The  duty  of  a  clergy- 
man is,  to  preach  peace  and  charity  towards  all  man- 
kind :  when  his  conduct  deviates  from  this,  he  acts 
inconsistent  with  the  profession  he  has  entered  into. 
W^hy  throw  off  the  meek  garb  of  peace  for  the  horrid 
habiliments  of  war  ?  Under  no  possible  circum- 
stances ought  a  clergyman  to  be  instrumental  to  the 
death  of  any  person,  except  in  the  most  urgent  ne- 
cessity of  self-defence.  Whenever  else  he  takes  up 
arms,  he  becomes  a  traitor  to  the  Gospel  of  Christ ; 
and  although  treason  may,  on  particular  occasions, 
be  considered  useful,  yet  a  traitor  to  any  cause  never 
can  be  regarded,  even  by  those  for  whom  he  exerts 
himself.  Besides,  the  interference  of  clergymen  en- 
couraging any  kind  of  strife,  but  particularly  warfare, 
must  be  considered  highly  culpable,  and  deserving 
of  a  fatal  end.  Not  one  of  the  priests  who  took  up 
arms  in  the  county  of  Wexford  escaped  a  violent  and 
sudden  death,  clearly  indicating  a  providential  fate  ; 
and  although  they  were  not  all,  at  the  time,  under 
suspension  or  ecclesiastical  censure,  yet  under  one  so 


IRISH  REBELLION.  231 

nearly  allied  to  it,  as  to  prevent  any  of  them  from 
having  arrived  to  the  situation  of  a  parish  priest.  It 
is  but  common  justice  that  those  alone  should  bear 
the  disgrace  of  reprobation  who  actually  deserved  it, 
and  that  the  great  body  of  the  Catholic  clerg}^  should 
be  rescued  from  censure,  as  they  were  free  from 
blame.  The  misconduct  of  a  few  individuals  should 
not  involve  the  good  character  of  the  many,  and  it 
must  be  recollected  that,  even  among  the  twelve 
apostles,  ■  there  was  a  traitor.  The  conduct  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  clergy  of  the  county  of  Wexford, 
however  unjustly  reviled,  was,  during  the  insurrec- 
tion there,  guided  by  the  true  dictates  and  principles 
of  Christianity,  really  exemplary  and  meritorious. 
They  comforted  the  afflicted  with  all  the  zeal  and 
warmth  of  Christian  charity,  and,  in  the  most  trying 
and  critical  period,  practised  every  deed  that  must 
be  considered  benevolent  by  every  liberal  and  en- 
lightened man,  whatever  brawlers  of  loyalty  may  as- 
sert to  the  contrary,  endeavoring,  with  indiscrimina- 
ting  abuse,  to  brand  their  conduct  in  general  with  the 
stain  of  infamy.  They  by  every  possible  means 
sought  to  afford  every  assistance  and  protection  in 
their  power,  to  those  who  stood  in  need  of  it ;  but 
their  influence  was  greatly  diminished  by  not  follow- 
ing the  example  of  the  militant  priests,  who  strove 
to  attain  an  elevation  and  superiority  over  their 
brethren  in  this  way,  which  they  could  not  otherwise 
accomplish.  If  I  may  be  allowed  the  expression, 
the  conduct  of  the  fighting  priests  was  truly  amphi- 
bious. For  while  they  cast  off  the  character  of 
priests,  and  took  up  that  of  soldiers,  they  still  wished 
to  maintain  an  ascendency,  even  in  their  new  sta- 
tions, by  reassuming  the  priest  whenever  it  answered 
the  purpose  of  superiority,  the  passion  for  which  was 
greatly  augmented  by  indulgence  in  drinking ;  and 


232  HISTORY  OF  THE 

notwithstanding  all  this,  they  were  conspicuous  for 
courage  and  humanity. 

The  encampment  at  Slieye-kieller  was  transferred 
from  thence  to  Lacken  Hill,  within  a  mile  of  the 
town  of  Ross  ;  and  although  Mr.  Harvey  had  mani- 
fested courage,  and  had  formed  an  excellent  plan  for 
the  attack  of  that  town — which  failed  of  success  only 
by  not  following  his  directions — yet  no  consideration 
prevented  his  conduct  from  being  faulted ;  and  he, 
therefore,  leaving  the  command  to  the  Rev.  Philip 
Roche,  whose  boisterous  conduct  pleased  the  multi- 
tude better,  returned  to  Wexford. 

The  soldiery  stationed  at  Newtownbarry  made 
several  excursions,  and  in  the  course  of  their  pro- 
gress, some  miles  from  the  town,  they  shot  every 
man  they  met,  however  unarmed  and  unoffending,  and 
plundered  and  burned  several  houses.  The  insur- 
gents on  Vinegar  Hill,  irritated  by  these  excesses, 
followed  the  example,  and  day  after  day  made  excur- 
sions from  their  camp  to  counteract  the  military;  but, 
however,  it  so  happened  that  they  did  not  fall  in  with 
each  other,  as  they  proceeded  on  different  sides  of 
the  Slaney,  which  prevented  their  meeting,  although 
their  depredations  were  in  sight  of  each  other  ;  and 
while  the  one  party  was  burning  and  destroying  what 
they  considered  enemy's  property  in  one  quarter,  the 
other,  actuated  by  revenge,  was  committing  like  de- 
vastation in  another ;  and  it  would  seem,  as  if  by 
preconcertion,  that  both  moved  in  different  directions 
on  every  particular  day  of  excursion  ;  so  that  the  only 
warfare  between  them  was  an  apparent  strife  who 
should  cause  the  greatest  desolation,  or  who  should 
appear  most  eager  to  destroy  what  was  spared  by  the 
other  ;  so  that  the  state  of  the  country  was  truly  la- 
mentable. 

There  were  but  few  gunsmen  belonging  to  the 


IRISH  REBELLION.  233 

vStationary  camp  at  Vinegar  Hill,  and  an  attack  on 
that  post  being  apprehended,  one  hundred  and  thirty 
gunsmen  were  sent  thither  from  Wexford,  under  the 
command  of  Captain  Murphy.  These  men  had  not 
experienced  any  of  the  persecutions  practised  pre- 
vious to  the  insurrection,  and  were  consequently  un- 
tainted with  the  rancorous  spirit  of  revenge  which 
they  produced  in  other  quarters.  In  short,  they  were 
remarkable  for  regularity  of  conduct,  and  they  pre- 
vented a  continuation  of  the  cruel  acts  that  had  been 
hitherto  perpetrated  there  ;  for  being  shocked  on  the 
morning  of  the  10th  of  June,  which  was  the  next  af- 
ter their  arrival,  by  seeing  a  man  put  to  death,  the 
Wexford  men  would  not  witness  such  another  scene, 
and  they  declared  they  would  not  permit  another  in- 
stance of  the  kind  while  they  remained  ;  and  their 
humane  example  shamed  the  most  refractory,  whom 
they  awed  into  order,  so  that  not  another  person  suf- 
fered on  Vinegar  Hill  thenceforward  until  the  20th  : 
therefore  this  important  truth  completely  contradicts 
the  greatly  exaggerated  accounts  of  daily  victims,  and 
the  aggravated  statements  erroneously  propagated  of 
wicked  atrocities  committed  there  ;  and  however  la- 
mentable it  is  that  many  persons  were  sacrificed  to 
popular  fury,  yet  it  is  somewhat  consoling  to  be  un- 
deceived that  half  the  numbers  stated  could  not  have 
suffered.  I  do  not  by  any  means  intend  to  excul- 
pate the  atrocities  committed  on  Vinegar  Hill,  as  a 
sad  catalogue  of  sufferers  could  be  enumerated  ;  but 
such  misrepresentation  has  taken  place,  that  I  should 
consider  myself  deficient  in  the  task  I  have  under- 
taken, did  I  not  take  every  opportunity  of  declaring 
facts  as  they  occurred,  however  1  lament  the  exist- 
ence of  the  dreadful  effects  of  popular  fury.  Any 
deviation  from  truth  in  stating  such  egregious  enor- 
milies  can  take  place  only  with  a  view  to  keep  alive 
20* 


234  HISTORY  OF  THE 

those  prejudices,  which  it  is  so  much  the  interest  of 
every  true  lover  of  liis  country  to  suppress  ;  and  to 
learn  the  real  state  of  occurrences  will  be  the  best  pos- 
sible means  of  inducing  contending  parties  to  forgive 
and  forget  the  past,  and  to  cherish  harmony  in  future. 
I  must  observe  respecting  those  lists,  denominated  au- 
thentic, of  persons  said  to  be  put  to  death  in  particu- 
lar places,  that  it  is  necessary  to  be  intimately  and 
perfectly  acquainted  with  the  countr}'  and  its  inhabit- 
ants, to  be  able  to  discover  that  several  individuals 
are  multiplied  in  the  account  of  their  deaths,  as  the 
same  person  is  mentioned  particularly  and  generally, 
in  one  place  by  one,  and  in  quite  a  different  situation 
by  another ;  and  thus  are  narrators  imposed  on,  not 
being  so  circumstanced  as  to  be  able  to  select  truth 
from  falsehood  ;  for  it  by  no  means  comes  within  the 
province  of  learning  to  sift  and  unravel  the  many  con- 
fused stories  of  several  persons,  each  var}'ing  the  ac- 
count of  the  same  deed  ;  which  though  in  fact  but 
one  occurrence,  yet  might  be  mistaken  for  separate 
transactions,  as  no  feature  of  coincidence  is  so  dis- 
cernible in  the  several  relations  of  the  same  thing,  as 
to  exhibit  the  real  and  uniform  picture.  I  have  un- 
dertaken this  narrative,  with  many  facts  of  which  I 
am  unfortunately  but  too  well  acquainted,  from  no 
other  idea  but  a  wish  to  reconcile  my  countrymen, 
and  not  to  let  misrepresentation  or  falsehood  pass  to 
posterity  ;  which  must  otherwise,  perhaps,  be  as 
much  imposed  on,  as  those  who  have  hitherto  writ- 
ten on  the  subject,  when  it  would  be  utterly  impos- 
sible to  obviate  misrepresentation  ;  and  I  write  as 
much  for  the  information  of  those  who  have  been  al- 
ready led  astray  as  for  the  public  at  large  ;  and  shall 
be  happy  to  elucidate  any  particular  thai  may  not 
appear  sufficiently  explained,  to  convince  them  that 
1  advance  nothing  for  which  I  have  not  undeniable 


IRISH  REBELLION.  235 

authority,  independent  of  my  personal  and  local 
knowledge  of  the  principal  events  ;  and  if  they  feel 
the  candor  they  profess,  I  trust  they  will  do  me 
credit  for  wishing  to  set  them  right,  when  they  ap- 
peal to  the  public  for  information  and  correction  of 
any  errors  that  might  possibly  have  crept  into  their 
works. 

On  the  10th  of  June  an  attack  was  made  by  some 
gun-boats  on  Felhard  ;  where,  after  destroying  all 
the  boats,  mostly  belonging  to  poor  fishermen,  the 
crews  set  fire  to  and  burned  many  houses.  This 
occurrence,  with  several  ships,  seemingly  of  war, 
being  seen  off  the  coast,  renewed  the  former  opinion 
that  a  landing  and  attack  were  intended  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  county.  Small  camps  of  observation 
were  therefore  instituted  at  Carne  and  Rastoonstown, 
to  be  attended  by  all  the  married  men  of  the  neigh- 
borhood, they  being  supposed  to  prove  more  watch- 
ful for  the  protection  of  their  wives  and  families,  by 
obviating  sudden  emergency;  while  all  the  bachelors 
fit  for  actual  service  were  ordered  to  attend  at  Lack- 
en  Hill.  In  Wexford,  attempts  were  made  to  man- 
ufacture gunpowder  to  supply  the  scarcity  of  that 
article,  which,  however,  did  not  succeed,  for  though 
it  would  explode,  yet  it  was  with  litlle  or  no  force. 
The  weather  continued  remarkably  fine  and  serene, 
a  circumstance  very  favorable  to  the  insurgents' 
mode  of  warfare,  as  they  had  scarcely  any  covering 
but  a  few  booths  or  tents,  not  sufficient  to  contain 
even  their  officers  ;  so  that  the  camps  w^ere  not  much 
encumbered  with  equipage,  and  only  requiring  the 
choice  of  a  field,  and  should  one  not  prove  ample 
enough  for  their  numbers,  the  adjoining  enclosures 
were  occupied  in  sufficient  extent  to  contain  them  in 
the  open  air. 

Sir  Thomas  Esmonde,  Bart.,  and  Mr.  Laurence 


236  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Doyle,  officers  in  the  Castletown  yeomen  cavalry, 
could  not  escape  the  general  suspicion  entertained 
against  Catholics,  and  although  they  were  known  to 
have  performed  their  duty  at  the  battle  of  Ark  low, 
yet  this  did  not  protect  them  from  a  most  contume- 
lious and  public  arrest  on  the  12th  of  June,  at  Ark- 
low,  whence  they  w^ere  conducted  under  a  guard  to 
Dublin,  where  they  continued  some  days  in  confme- 
ment,  and  were  then  liberated  without  the  shadow  of 
a  charge  being  brought  against  them.  The  impolicy 
of  this  and  the  like  transactions  in  such  critical  times, 
is  so  flagrant,  that  it  is  astonishing  to  think  they 
should  be  permitted  to  be  practised  ;  thus  exaspera- 
ting the  feelings  of  any  religious  description,  without 
more  cogent  reason  than  suspicion,  was  the  occasion 
of  many  loyal  Catholics  not  joining  the  army,  as  they 
were  apprehensive  that  death  might  be  the  conse- 
quence of  their  being  suspected. 

As  the  insurgents  had  not  a  sufficiency  of  gun- 
powder to  undertake  any  new  attack,  they  remained 
inactive  in  th'eir  several  encampments  for  some  days; 
but  in  order  to  obtain  a  supply  of  that  article,  it  was 
resolved  to  make  an  attack  on  Borris,  the  seat  of  Mr. 
Kavanagh,  in  the  county  of  Carlow,  where,  it  was 
supposed,  lay  a  great  quantity  of  arms  and  ammuni- 
tion. A  detachment  accordingly  proceeded  from  the 
camp  on  Vinegar  Hill  to  that  on  Lacken  Hill,  where 
receiving  reinforcement,  the  united  party  moved  for- 
ward to  the  attack  of  Borris,  where  they  arrived  af- 
ter a  night's  march,  early  on  the  morning  of  the  12th. 
The  cavalry  stationed  there  fled  on  the  approach  of 
the  insurgents,  but  a  party  of  the  Donegal  militia, 
who  had  taken  up  their  quarters  in  the  house,  defend- 
ed it  with  great  bravery,  keeping  up  a  constant  lire 
from  the  upper  windows,  and  losing  but  one  man  in 
the  course   of  the  contest.     The  cannon  the  insur 


IRISH  REBELLION.  237 

gents  had  brought  with  them  was  too  small  to  have 
any  effect  on  the  castle,  as  the  only  ball,  discharged 
by  one  of  them,  rebounded  from  the  wall,  and  an  at- 
tack by  musketry  was  of  course  considered  ineffec- 
tual. As  no  hopes  then  remained  of  taking  the  man- 
sion by  assault  or  battery,  considering  the  strength 
and  thickness  of  the  walls,  and  that  the  lower  win- 
dows were  also  lately  built  up  with  strong  mason- 
work,  the  assailants  set  the  outer  offices  on  fire,  in 
hopes  of  forcing  the  garrison  to  dislodge  themselves 
for  their  protection ;  but  this  manoeuvre  proving  in- 
effectual, and  the  insurgents  having  expended  all 
their  ammunition  in  useless  efforts,  and  having  burn- 
ed some  houses  in  the  village,  returned  to  the  sev- 
eral encampments  from  which  they  had  been  detach- 
ed in  the  county  of  Wexford. 

The  encampment  on  Gorey  Hill  had  by  this  time 
removed  to  Limerick  Hill,  and  the  army,  which  was 
now  daily  reinforced,  made  frequent  sallies  from 
their  several  stations  and  committed  the  most  violent 
excesses,  putting  to  death  every  man  who  came  in 
their  way,  whether  by  accident  or  otherwise,  nor 
were  the  insurgents  backward  in  retaliation ;  so  that 
the  situation  of  such  as  were  placed  between  the 
contending  parties  was  truly  pitiable  ;  being  uncer- 
tain for  an  instant  of  the  safety  of  their  lives  or  prop- 
erties, and  equally  subject  to  military  and  popular 
violence  and  devastation.  Several  strong  reports 
had  now  prevailed  throughout  the  county  of  Wex- 
ford, that  the  most  desperate  atrocities  had  been 
committed  by  the  soldiery  in  their  different  quarters, 
and  this  roused  the  already  irritated  passions  of  the 
people  to  revenge,  so  as  to  be  productive  of  many 
lamentable  acts  of  outrage,  ever  attendant  on  civil 
commotion,  and  keeping  alive  those  melancholy  dis- 
cords which  never  occur  in  modern  times,  between 


238  HISTORY  OF  THE 

separate  and  independent  nations  at  war ;  and  which 
all  enlightened  and  humane  people  so  strongly  detest 
and  reprobate.  Reports  of  these  enormities  very 
much  alarmed  the  minds  of  the  prisoners  in  Wexford, 
as  they  strongly  apprehended  it  might  produce  an 
alteration  in  the  conduct  of  the  inhabitants  towards 
them.  A  petition  to  government,  from  those  con- 
fined in  the  jail,  was  accordingly  drawn  up,  expres- 
sive of  the  danger  of  their  situation  should  llie  people 
be  prompted  to  retaliation  upon  them,  by  the  conduct 
of  the  troops  towards  such  of  the  populace  or  their 
friends  as  might  fall  into  their  hands  ;  and  on  this 
occasion,  the  officers  who  were  prisoners  in  Wexford 
appeared  more  alarmed  than  the  others  there  in  con- 
finement. They  accordingly  communicated  to  me 
their  apprehensions  and  wishes,  and  proposed  striking 
out  some  mode  of  putting  a  stop  to  tlie  violences, 
which,  they  very  naturally  feared,  might  soon  in- 
volve their  inevitable  destruction.  Lord  Kings- 
borough  was  for  proposing  an  exchange  of  prisoners 
as  the  best  method  of  allaying  the  prevailing  alarms, 
and  of  suppressing  the  heat  and  violence  of  the  peo- 
ple, now  roused  to  the  highest  pitch  of  fury,  and 
breathing  nothing  but  revenge.  Indeed,  from  the 
critical  state  of  the  country,  and  the  people  in  gen- 
eral abiding  no  control,  it  was  difficult  to  devise 
what  could  be  best  attempted  to  avert  the  fate  that 
seemed  to  impend  over  exery  person  of  any  distinc- 
tion, having  the  misfortune  of  being  then  in  the 
county  of  Wexford,  while  all  the  chiefs  throughout 
the  several  encampments  most  feelingly  lamented 
the  great  disorders  prevaihng,  and  in  conjunction 
with  every  individual  of  the  least  respectability,  most 
strongly  reprobated  the  cruelties  and  excesses  that 
were  perpetrated.  So  violent  was  the  spirit  of  retal- 
iation and  vengeance,  which  seemed  to  actuate  the 


IRISH  REBELLION.  239 

whole  mass  of  the  people,  that  every  danger  was  to 
be  apprehended  from  it,  unless  some  means  were  ta- 
ken to  allay  the  existing  ferment.  On  the  13th  of 
June,  several  persons  from  the  different  encamp- 
ments, led  by  the  most  benevolent  motives,  as  if  by 
preconcerted  agreement,  waited  on  the  commander- 
in-chief,  in  Wexford,  to  consult  on  the  best  mode  of 
keeping  the  unruly  rabble  in  some  order,  over  whom 
they  declared  they  had  not  (as  indeed  they  never 
had)  any  kind  of  control ;  and  they  now  expressed 
their  fears,  that  the  best  disposed  of  the  men,  who 
had  been  hitherto  distinguished  for  good  conduct  and 
humanity,  might  be  induced,  by  the  prevailing  rage, 
to  commit  acts  of  which  they  had  yet  been  so  far 
from  guilty,  that  they  gave  them  the  most  strenuous 
opposition.  The  abomination  of  Scullabogue  had 
excited  such  general  horror,  that  it  became  a  material 
object  of  consideration  on  this  occasion,  when  it  was 
resolved  to  institute  an  inquiry  for  the  purpose  of 
punishing  in  the  most  exemplary  manner,  the  perpe- 
trators of  this  infernal  transaction  !  !  ! — the  existing 
state  of  the  country  prevented  the  accomplishment 
of  so  desirable  an  object.  A  favorable  circumstance 
occurred  at  this  time,  which  led  to  a  hope  that  con- 
ciliation might  be  attempted  with  some  probability 
of  success.  A  message  was  sent  to  a  prison-ship  in 
the  harbor  of  Dublin,  offering  liberty  to  any  one  who 
would  undertake  to  go  to  Wexford  with  letters  for 
Lord  Kingsborough.  Accordingly  a  man  of  the 
name  of  John  Tunks  undertook  the  task,  and,  being 
provided  with  all  the  necessary  passes,  he  arrived 
safe  at  Limerick  Hill  camp,  wlience  he  was  sent 
with  some  principal  persons  to  the  commander-in- 
chief  in  Wexford.  He  immediately  assembled  those 
he  thought  best  able  to  advise  him  how  to  proceed, 
and  it  was  x;onsidered  fortunate  that  many  respecta- 


5540  HISTORY  OF  THE 

ble  persons  from  the  country  were  then  in  the  town, 
all  of  whom  approved  of  endeavoring  to  forward  the 
sentiments  of  the  prisoners  along  with  Lord  Kings- 
borough's  answer,  but  how  to  reconcile  the  people 
to  the  measure,  without  which  nothing  effectual  could 
be  done,  was  the  difficulty.  The  committees  in 
Wexford,  as  various  business  and  orders  had  been 
pressed  on  them  from  time  to  time,  not  at  all  within 
the  scope  of  their  intentions,  upon  undertaking  that 
arduous  duty,  were  not  considered  likely,  in  the 
present  instance,  to  act  with  effect,  particularly  as 
their  numbers  had  been  increased  on  the  augmenta- 
tion of  business,  and  this  too  by  the  accession  of  low 
persons  who  might  procrastinate  the  proceedings  for 
immediate  remedy.  Accordingly  those  who  had 
been  in  consultation  with  the  commander-in-chief 
proceeded  along  with  him  to  the  house  wherein  the 
different  committees  usually  met,  and  here  eight  per- 
sons, considered  the  most  capable  of  applying  a 
speedy  and  effectual  remedy  to  the  existing  evil,  were 
appointed,  and  the  body  so  selected  was  denominated 
*'  The  council  appointed  to  manage  the  affairs  of  the 
people  of  the  county  of  Wexford,"  of  which  Mr. 
Harvey  was  chosen  president.  This  plan  was  to  be 
communicated  to  the  different  camps,  and  such  of 
the  persons  as  might  not  be  approved  of  by  the  peo- 
ple, were  to  be  removed  and  replaced  by  others. 
This  arrangement  met  with  the  heartfelt  approbation 
of  all  the  prisoners,  especially  as  the  council  imme- 
diately proceeded  to  forward  the  very  plan  they 
themselves  had  previously  intended  to  put  in  opera- 
tion. It  was  thought  necessary  also  to  confine  the 
messenger  Tunks  in  the  jail,  as  he  was  very  talka- 
tive, particularly  with  respect  to  Lord  Kingsborough's 
conduct  in  Dublin,  to  some  parts  of  which,  he  said, 
he  had  been  an  eye-witness.     His  manner  and  slo- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  241 

ries,  if  left  at  liberty,  might  inflame  the  minds  of  the 
people,  whom,  at  the  lime,  it  was  so  necessary  not 
to  provoke,  but  by  every  possible  means  to  con- 
ciliate. 

Captain  M'Manus  being  deputed  by  the  prisoners 
in  the  jail,  was  conducted  to  consult  with  Lord  Kings- 
borough,  who  accordingly  wrote  a  letter  to  the  lord 
lieutenant,  in  the  name  of  all  the  prisoners,  (among 
wliom  there  were  thirteen  officers,  besides  several 
yeomanry  officers  and  principal  gentlemen  of  the 
county,)  intimating  their  great  danger,  but  that  they 
had  hitherto  been  well  treated,  and,  in  every  respect, 
as  prisoners  of  war,  and  therefore  hoping  that  the 
prisoners  taken  by  the  army  might  meet  the  like  good 
treatment  with  them,  for  that  otherwise  they  feared 
reprisals  might  be  made  and  their  destruction  prove 
inevitable.  This  letter,  along  with  any  others  that 
the  officers  chose  to  send  to  their  friends,  was  to  be 
forwarded  to  the  next  commanding  officer  of  the 
army,  and  the  messenger  was  to  return  with  an  an- 
swer with  all  convenient  speed.  Lieutenant  Bourke 
of  the  North  Cork  militia  was  appointed  to  carry  the 
remainder  of  this  scheme  into  execution,  and  accord- 
ingly on  the  evening  of  the  14th  day  of  June,  he  set 
out  from  Wexford,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Carty  to 
Enniscorthy,  and  part  of  tlie  way  by  Captain  Dixon, 
who,  at  Wexford,  seemingly  acquiesced  in  the  busi- 
ness ;  yet  such  was  his  duplicity,  that  he  galloped  on 
before  the  others  to  Enniscorthy,  where  by  mischie- 
vous representations  and  deceitful  contrivances,  he 
so  wrought  upon  the  people  as  to  induce  them  not  to 
suffer  the  letters  to  be  forwarded  ;  and  such  was  his 
influence,  that  not  only  Lieutenant  Bourke  was  in 
imminent  danger,  but  even  Mr.  Carty  ran  great  risk 
in  opposing  his  villanous  .machinations  ;  but  after 
being  baffled  in  their  laudable  intentions,  they  were, 
21 


242  HISTORY  OF  THE 

after  great  hazard,  permitted  to  return  in  safety  the 
next  day,  to  Wexford. 

As  it  was  now  found  that  no  negotiation  could  be 
entered  into  without  the  express  concurrence  of  the 
people,  with  a  view  of  making  coj^ciliation  more 
attainable,  it  was  deemed  expedient  to  bind  them  as 
much  as  possible,  to  abide  the  control  of  their  com- 
manders. As  numbers  of  them  had  never  been  sworn 
United  Irishmen,  and  as  the  principles  of  brotherhood 
contained  in  their  oath  were  considered  by  many  of 
the  principal  prisoners  excellent  means  of  restraint, 
it  was  therefore  thought  a  prudent  measure  to  adopt 
it  generally,  and  thereby  impress  on  the  minds  of  the 
people,  the  orderly  and  social  intercourse  that  should 
subsist  between  all  those  sworn  in  the  same  cause, 
and  the  moral  obligation  of  obeying  their  comman- 
ders ;  and  it  was  imagined  the  oath  itself  would  curb 
many  from  acting  licenliously.  The  measure  was 
accordingly  adopted,  and  oaths  were  also  formed, 
with  the  same  benevolent  intentions,  and  equally  ap- 
proved of,  to  be  taken  by  all  officers  and  privates, 
and  by  all  the  people  in  the  most  sohimn  manner,  and 
copies  of  them  were  printed  and  circulated  tlu'ough 
the  county.* 

Considering  the  defenceless  state  of  the  country, 
and  the  existing  circumstances  of  the  day,  the  situa- 
tion of  the  newly  appointed  council  was  far  from  en- 
viable. It  became  their  duly  lo  endeavor  to  avert 
the  tremendously  impending  fate  which  tlireatened 
the  country  with  inevitable  destruction,  and  to  exert 
themselves  to  the  utmost  of  their  power  to  concert 
such  measures  as  would  appear  most  likely  to  prove 
effectual.  At  such  a  critical  period,  their  undertak- 
ing the  arduous  task  must  be  considered  as  dictated 

*  Seo  Appendix,  No.  IX. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  243 

by  the  purest  sentiinents  of  philanthropy;  as  what 
other  possible  motive  could  induce  any  one  of  them 
to  place  himself  in  such  a  perilous  situation,  at  a 
time  that  it  was  well  known  to  every  man  of  rational 
observation,  that  the  efforts  of  the  insurgents  would 
not  be  attended  with  final  success  ?  They  had  in- 
deed undertaken  a  most  difficult  task,  although  they 
have  not  escaped  tlie  censure  of  partisans  of  all  sides, 
who,  while  they  venture  to  express  prejudiced  opin- 
ions, have  no  conception  of  the  then  existing  general 
state  of  the  county  of  Wexford.  Jn  short,  the  coun- 
cil were  placed  in  as  embarrassing  a  predicament  as 
can  well  be  imagined,  seemingly  at  the  head  of  a  re- 
fractory outrageous  populace,  whom  lliey  anxiously 
sought  to  rescue  from  destruction,  while  these  mostly 
counteracted  their  best  and  most  benevolent  inten- 
tions. However,  when  called  on,  at  this  dangerous 
juncture,  as  considered  capable  of  applying  a  remedy 
to  the  enormous  evil,  all  petty  considerations  van- 
ished, and  they  undertook  to  meet  the  difficulty  w^ith 
firmness  and  resolution;  and  when  such  urgent  ne- 
cessity existed,  any  man  should  be  deemed  an  enemy 
to  the  human  race,  who  would  refuse  to  contribute 
all  his  might  towards  the  salvation  of  his  countiy- 
men.  According  to  the  nature  of  the  existing  evil, 
so  should  be  that  of  the  counteracting  measures. 
From  this  consideration  the  council  did  not  think  it 
right,  for  the  preservation  of  the  people,  to  declare, 
or  even  in  the  smallest  degree  to  allow  their  defence- 
less state.  On  the  contrary,  it  was  considered  neces- 
sary, along  with  the  endeavor  to  encourage  general 
union  and  harmony,  to  appear  to  be,  as  much  as  pos- 
sible, able  and  determined  to  adopt  the  most  firm  and 
decisive  measures,  with  the  view  of  obtaining  the 
more  favorable  conditions  for  the  people. 

The  critical  situation  of  the  council,   as  far  as  it 


244  HISTORY  OF  THE 

regarded  the  management  of  the  people  themselves, 
may  be  well  exemplified  by  the  following  occur- 
rence. The  town  of  Wexford  being  in  a  state  of  the 
utmost  tranquillity,  was  all  at  once  thrown  into  the 
most  violent  confusion  and  alarm  by  a  great  caval- 
cade coming  into  it  over  the  bridge,  preceded  by 
Captain  Dixon  and  his  wife,  who  rode  through  the 
streets,  while  he  with  gesture  and  expression  the 
most  outrageous  exhibited  a  fire-screen,  ornamented 
with  various  emblematical  figures  representing  some 
heathen  gods,  and  with  orange  bordering,  fringe,  and 
tassels,  which  he  represented  as  the  insignia  of  an 
orange  lodge,  and  the  figures  he  tremendously  an- 
nounced as  the  representations  of  the  tortures  which 
the  Catholics  were  to  suffer  from  Orangemen  ;  call- 
ing on  the  people  to  take  signal  vengeance,  as  he 
produced  to  them,  he  said,  the  discovery  of  the  whole 
plot,  found  at  Attramont,  the  seat  of  Colonel  Lehunte. 
It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  fury  of  the  people  on 
this  occasion,  roused  to  the  most  violent  pitch  in  an 
instant,  and  only  to  be  accounted  for  on  the  principle 
of  their  supposition  or  rather  persuasion  of  their  in- 
tended extermination,  which  the  sight  of  any  thing 
orange  awakened  in  the  most  sensitive  manner,  simi- 
larly to  what  has  been  before  related  concerning  the 
orange  warrant  or  commission  and  pitched  cap  dis- 
covered in  the  barracks  of  Wexford.  When  Captain 
Dixon  had,  by  this  infernal  and  tu;nultuous  conduct, 
assembled  almost  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  town, 
(whose  phrensy,  on  seeing  the  orange  ornaments, 
and  hearing  his  assertions  most  desperately  vocife- 
rated, it  is  impossible  to  describe,)  he  proceeded  di- 
rectly to  the  house  wherein  Colonel  Lehunte  lodged, 
dragged  him  out,  and  marched  him  down  to  the  jail, 
amidst  a  furious  and  enraged  mob,  by  whom  it  is  won- 
derful that  his  life  was  spared  at  the  instant. 


IRISH  REBELLION.       *  245 

The  principal  inhabitants  immediate!}^  assembled, 
and  very  narrowly  escaped  being  all  put  to  death ; 
for  as  they  met  in  the  committee  house,  opposite 
which  the  mob  had  collected,  a  common  ruffian  had 
the  audacity  to  come  in  and  fire  a  shot  amidst  them 
all,  and  actually  arrested  one  of  the  council,  which 
so  provoked  a  gentleman  present,  who  happened  to 
have  his  pistols  about  him,  that  he  cocked  one  of 
them  and  was  ready  to  shoot  the  fellow,  but  was  for- 
tunately prevented  ;  for  I  verily  believe,  had  the  ruf- 
fian been  shot,  the  destruction  of  every  one  in  the 
house  would  have  been  the  inevitable  consequence. 
The  populace  at  length  permitted  some  gentlemen 
to  address  them  from  the  windows,  and  it  was  a 
considerable  time  before  the}^  were  able  to  persuade 
them. that  all  their  fury  and  madness  had  proceeded 
from  the  exhibition  of  a  fire-screen,  on  which  were 
represented  some  heathen  gods,  and  which  formed 
part  of  the  ornaments  of  a  room  furnished  three  years 
before  with  orange  borderings  and  trimmings,  then 
considered  the  most  fashionable  color. 

On  the  16th,  the  insurgents  set  out  from  their  en- 
campment at  Limerick  Hill  to  Carnew,  where  meet- 
ing with  no  force  to  interrupt  their  career,  they  pro- 
ceeded as  far  as  Tinehaly ;  here  they  had  smart 
skirmishing  with  the  army,  from  whom  they  took  a 
great  number  of  cattle,  which  they  drove  on  before 
them,  and  encamped  that  night  at  Mountpleasant. 
On  iheir  quitting  Limerick  Hill  in  the  morning,  the 
prisoners  who  were  confined  in  Gorey  were  thence 
brought  to  Vinegar  Hill,  from  which  they  were  con- 
veyed under  a  strong  escort,  and  lodged  in  the  jail 
of  Wexford.  The  disposition  of  the  inhabitants  of 
this  town,  in  not  permitting  any  of  the  prisoners  there 
confined  to  be  brought  out  of  the  jail,  where  they 
were  considered  in  perfect  safety,  was  well  known, 
21* 


246  ■        HISTORY  OF  THE 

as  many  refusals  had  been  niade  to  demands  of  this 
kind  from  the  country,  when  it  was  apprehended  the 
intention  was  not  to  set  them  at  hberty,  but  to  put 
them  to  death  ;  in  the  present  instance,  therefore,  the 
strong  escort,  which  consisted  of  Enniscortliy  men, 
gave  no  intimation  of  any  design  until  they  got  pos- 
session of  the  jail,  while  delivering  the  prisoners  they 
had  brought  with  them  ;  but  then  overpowering  the 
guards,  they  forced  away  with  them  four  men,  who 
had  been  very  obnoxious  to  the  people,  and  with 
them  quitted  the  town  immediately,  in  order  to  afford 
no  time  to  rescue  the  imfortunate  victims  from  them. 
The  four  devoted  men  were  taken  to  the  camp  on 
Vinegar  Hill,  where  they  were  next  morning  put  to 
death,  the  Wexford  gunsmen  having  returned  home 
on  the  evening  before,  for  during  their  stay  in  the 
camp  only  one  man  suffered,  soon  after  their  arrival, 
and  they  would  by  no  means  allow  the  repetition  of 
such  another  deed,  as  has  been  before  observed. 

On  the  16th,  several  people  from  the  neighborhood 
of  Gorey  formed  a  small  encampment  on  Ask  Hill, 
between  Gorey  and  Arklow,  from  which  last-men- 
tioned town,  since  the  battle  fought  there,  the  troops 
issued  with  peculiar  caution.  On  this  day,  however, 
a  troop  of  yeomen  cavalry  had  the  fortitude  to  ad- 
vance towards  the  little  camp  of  the  insurgents. 
This  was,  at  the  time,  very  inconsiderable  as  to 
numbers,  having  no  more  than  about  one  liundred 
men  equipped  or  lit  for  action,  the  rest  having  either 
dispersed  or  proceeded  to  Vinegar  Hill ;  and  even 
half  the  remaining  number  precipitately  fled  at  the 
approach  of  the  cavalry  ;  while  the  other  half,  arm- 
ed with  })ikes  only,  stripped  to  their  shirts,  to  be  un- 
incumbered in  exertion,  and  ran  in  full  speed  to 
meet  the  yeomen  ;  but  these  avoided  the  encounter 
and  expeditiously  retreated  to  Arklow.     The  insur- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  247 

gents  then  retired  from  Ask  Hill,  and  moved  into  the 
country  between  Oulart  and  Wexford,  and  were  dis- 
tributed through  the  different  houses  in  that  neigh- 
borhood. 

On  Sunday,  the  17th  of  June,  a  detachment  of 
four  hundred  men  sent  out  from  the  camp  on  Vinegar 
Hill,  halted  in  Ferns  until  break  of  day,  when,  thus 
early  on  Monday,  the  18th,  they  marched  forward 
with  the  intention  of  storming  Newtownbarry  ;  but 
meeting  at  Camolin  the  insurgents  who  had  now- 
quitted  their  station  at  Mountpleasant,  they  altered 
their  route  and  returned  to  Vinegar  Hill,  while  the 
main  body  of  the  others  proceeded  to  Carrigrew, 
w^ience  they  also  moved  on  the  next  day  to  Vinegar 
Hill. 

Early  on  the  19th  the  encampment  on  Lacken 
Hill  was  surprised  by  a  military  force  that  came  out 
from  Ross  ;  and  the  insurgents,  provided  with  little 
or  no  ammunition,  and  not  apprehending  an  attack, 
were  nearly  surrounded  before  they  were  aware  of 
iheir  situation.  They  were  also  but  few  in  number, 
for  although  vast  multitudes  appeared  in  their  en- 
campments in  the  day-time,  yet  they  were  almost 
deserted  during  the  night,  as  all  persons  took  the 
liberty  of  going  and  coming  as  they  pleased.  But 
notwithstanding  this  and  the  sudden  emergency,  they 
effected  a  good  retreat  to  the  Three-rocks,  without 
the  loss  of  a  man.  This  was  contrived  in  a  masterly 
manner  by  the  address  of  their  commander,  the  Rev. 
Philip  Roche,  who,  being  roused  from  his  bed  by 
the  general  alarm,  ordered  the  foot  directly  to  retreat, 
and  having  collected  immediately  round  him  the  few 
horsemen  that  could  be  got  together,  caused  them  to 
seize  on  several  banners,  and  keep  them  waving  at 
different  distances,  as  it  were  in  defiance,  so  as  to 
intimidate  the  troops  from  making  a  sudden  onset, 


248  HISTORY  OF  THE 

and  when  he  knew  that  his  foot  were  at  a  safe  dis- 
tance, he  and  his  few  horsemen  galloped  after  them, 
so  that  by  this  contrivance — that  might  do  honor  to 
an  experienced  general — he  completely  baffled  the 
military,  brought  off  his  whole  force  entire,  and  was 
himself  the  last  in  quitting  the  hill. 

General  dispositions  were  now  made  to  attack  the 
insurgents  on  all  sides,  and  the  several  divisions  of 
the  army  had  orders  from  Lieutenant-general  Lake 
to  proceed  in  diff'erent  directions  for  that  purpose. 
They  were  all  to  move  towards  the  important  post 
of  Vinegar  Hill,  occupied  by  the  permanent  encamp- 
ment of  the  insurgents  since  the  28lh  of  May,  on 
the  taking  of  Enniscorthy.  Pursuant  to  the  plan  of 
a  general  assault.  Lieutenant-general  Dundas  pro- 
ceeded on  the  18th  of  June  from  Baltinglass  to 
Hacket's-town,  whence  he  was  to  proceed,  in  con- 
junction with  Major-general  Loftus,  who  was  to  join 
him  from  TuUow,  with  the  forces  under  his  com- 
mand, to  move  forward  to  attack  the  insurgents  post- 
ed on  Mounlpleasant.  These  seemed  willing  enough 
to  engage,  but  the  troops  were  prevented  from  com- 
ing to  action  here,  by  other  orders  from  Lieutenant- 
general  Lake,  who  thought  it  more  prudent  to  wait 
the  assistance  and  co-operation  of  his  whole  force 
combined,  than  to  risk  a  partial  engagement  which 
might  thwart  or  impede  his  general  plan  of  opera- 
tions. Major-general  Needham,  who  commanded 
in  Arklow,  moved  on  the  19th  to  Gorey,  and  on  the 
next  day  encamped  on  Oulart  Hill,  whence  he  was 
to  proceed  to  Enniscorthy.  Greater  devastation  was 
perceivable  from  Arklow  to  Oulart,  than  in  any  other 
part  of  the  country.  On  the  19th,  Major-generals 
Johnston  and  Eustace,  after  obliging  the  insurgents 
posted  on  Lacken  Hill  hastily  to  abandon  their  situ- 
ation, proceeded  to  Bloomfield,  where  they  encamp- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  249 

ed  on  the  evening  of  the  20th  ;  while  Brigadier-gen- 
eral Moore  reached  his  appointed  station  at  Fook's- 
mill  on  the  same  evening,  and  Major-general  Sir 
James  Duff,  who  had  marched  from  Newtow^nbarry, 
took  his  station  with  Major-general  Loftus  at  Scara- 
walsh.  In  the  course  of  the  progressive  march  of 
these  several  divisions  of  the  army,  great  devastation 
took  place  ;  numbers  of  houses  w^ere  burned,  and 
corn  and  various  kind  of  property  were  plundered 
and  destroyed,  mostly  at  the  instance  of  the  yeomen 
returning  to  their  different  neighborhoods.  It  is  as- 
tonishing that  landlords  of  all  descriptions  could  so 
far  forget  their  own  interests  as  to  join  in  the  destruc- 
tion of  houses  on  their  lands,  however  they  might  be 
induced  to  hunt  out  their  lessees,  and  to  sacrifice 
them,  and  so  put  an  end  at  once  to  their  leases.  Yet 
many  instances  of  this  kind  are  related  throughout 
the  country. 

According  to  the  preconcerted  and  comprehensive 
plan  of  operations,  all  the  generals  arrived,  with  their 
several  divisions,  at  the  different  stations  to  which 
they  had  been  ordered  on  the  20th,  of  which  they 
severally  apprized  Lieutenant-general  Lake,  who 
was  himself,  with  his  staff  and  Lieutenant-general 
Dundas,  posted  at  Solsborough.  The  insurgents  of 
the  northern  part  of  the  county  of  Wexford  had  now 
concentrated  their  force  on  their  station  of  Vinegar 
Hill,  and  at  a  consultation  of  their  chiefs  it  was  pro- 
posed to  make  a  general  assault  on  the  post  of  Sols- 
borough  during  the  night,  but  to  this  the  people  could 
not  be  prevailed  upon  to  agree  ;  who  chose  rather 
to  depend  upon  their  very  scanty  provision  of  pow- 
der, and  wait  for  open  daylight  to  engage.  It  is  very 
surprising  that,  considering  the  great  courage  and 
intrepidity  displayed  by  them  in  so  many  engage- 
ments,  the   insurgents  could  never  be    brought   to 


250  HISTORY  OF  THE 

make  a  nocturnal  attack,  wherein  they  must  have  in- 
evitably proved  successful,  as  the  confusion  into 
which  the  regular  troops  would  have  been  thrown 
by  such  a  proceeding,  would  reduce  them  to  a  level 
with  irregular  bodies,  w^hose  superiority  of  numbers 
must  necessarily  have  given  them  every  advantage. 
On  the  19th,  General  Edward  Roche,  and  such  of 
the  insurgents  of  his  neighborhood  as  were  at  Vine- 
gar Hill,  were  sent  home  to  collect  the  whole  mass 
of  the  people  for  general  defence.  By  the  march 
of  the  army  in  all  directions,  towards  Vinegar  Hill 
and  Wexford,  a  general  flight  of  such  of  the  inhabit- 
ants as  could  get  off  took  place  ;  and,  as  the  greater 
part  of  the  county  was  now  occupied  by  the  troops, 
the  whole  population  was  compressed  into  a  very 
narrow  space  ;  and  at  this  time  there  was  not  an  en- 
campment of  insurgents  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
county,  except  at  Vinegar  Hill  ;  while  in  the  south- 
ern quarter  the  small  camps  of  Carne  and  Rastoons- 
town  were  concentrated  at  the  Three-Rocks. 

The  alarm  was  now  general  throughout  the  whole 
country ;  all  men  were  called  to  attend  the  camps  ; 
and  Wexford  became  the  universal  rendezvous  of  the 
fugitives,  who  reported,  with  various  circumstances 
of  horror,  the  progress  of  the  diiTerent  armies  ap- 
proaching in  every  direction,  marking  their  move- 
ments with  terrible  devastation.  Ships  of  war  were 
also  seen  off  the  coast,  and  several  gun-boats  blocked 
up  the  entrance  of  the  harbor,  which  precluded  the 
possibility  of  any  vessel  getting  out ;  so  that  Wex- 
ford was  now  on  the  brink  of  destruction,  and  the  in- 
habitants without  the  smallest  hope  of  escape.  It  is 
dreadful  to  conceive,  and  impossible  to  describe,  the 
horrors  felt  by  all  who  had  the  misfortune  of  being  in 
the  town  on  this  most  critical  occasion.  The  melan- 
choly scenes  of  devastation  perpetrated  by  the  army 


IRISH  REBELLION.  251 

in  the  country  about  Carrick-Byrne,  exhibited  a  mel- 
ancholy picture  ;  and  from  the  commanding  situation 
of  the  camp  at  the  Three  Rocks,  on  the  mountain  of 
Forth,  the  general  conflagration,  which  was  as  pro- 
gressive as  the  march  of  the  troops,  was  clearly  per- 
ceivable. On  the  approach  of  the  army,  great 
numbers  of  countrymen,  wMth  their  wives  and  chil- 
dren, and  any  little  baggage  they  could  hastily  pack 
up,  fled  towards  Wexford,  as  to  an  asylum  or  place 
of  refuge  ;  and  the  number  of  these  was  increased 
every  instant  by  the  arrival  of  new  fugitives,  who  de- 
scribed, in  melancholy  strain  of  lamentation,  how  their 
houses  were  plundered  and  destroyed,  and  how  they 
themselves  had  narrowly  escaped  with  life  from  the 
fury  of  the  soldiery,  who,  when  thus  let  loose  and 
encouraged  to  range  over  and  ravage  a  country,  be- 
come the  greatest  curse  that  can  befall  it !  !  ! 

I  must,  however,  observe,  that  General  Moore  did 
all  in  his  power  to  prevent  these  atrocities,  and  got 
some  plunderers  immediately  put  to  death  ;  but  his 
humane  and  benevolent  intentions  were  not  so  suc- 
cessful from  the  representations  and  excitements  of 
the  refugees  returning  home.  It  is  much  to  be  re- 
gretted that  he  was  not  afterwards  left  in  command 
in  the  county  of  Wexford,  as  lie  was  ordered  to 
Wicklow,  where  his  conciliatory  conduct  and  hu- 
manity were  conspicuous,  and  will  ever  be  remem- 
bered with  gratitude  by  the  people,  who  flocked  to 
his  standard  for  protection.  Had  Ireland  enjoyed 
the  blessings  of  such  rulers,  it  would  never  have  been 
involved  in  such  a  dreadful  situation. 

The  Reverend  Philip  Roche,  after  having  settled 
the  encampment  at  the  Three  Rocks,  came  into 
Wexford  and  demanded  all  kinds  of  supplies  for  his 
forces  ;  and  as  the  inhabitants  (except  the  gunsmen, 
who  attended  for  some  time  on  Vinegar  Hill)  had 


252  HISTORY  OF   THE 

never  quit  their  homes  or  assisted  at  any  battle,  they 
were  looked  upon  in  a  very  invidious  point  of  view 
by  the  rest  of  the  people ;  who  accordingly  vowed 
the  destruction  of  the  town  if  all  its  armed  men  would 
not  appear  at  the  camp  on  the  Three  Rocks  early 
the  next  morning,  and  join  in  general  defence.  The 
Reverend  General  Roche,  on  coming  into  Wexford, 
was  greatly  exhausted  from  his  diligent  and  unre- 
mitting exertions  in  covering  the  retreat  from  Lacken 
Hill,  and  not  having  taken  a  morsel  of  food  during 
the  whole  day,  less  drink  than  usual  exhibited  him 
in  the  course  of  the  evening  very  much  intoxicated. 
Of  this  man  it  is,  however,  necessary  to  say,  that, 
however  apparently  violent  and  boisterous,  he  was 
remarkable  for  humanity.  He  never  suffered  a  man 
to  be  put  to  death  on  Lacken  Hill ;  and  the  follow- 
ing, recorded  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gordon,  is  a  most 
powerful  instance  of  his  benevolence.  After  stating, 
that  although  "  Philip  Roche  was  in  appearance 
fierce  and  sanguinary,  yet  several  persons  now  living 
owe  their  lives  to  his  boisterous  interference,"  he 
proceeds  to  state,  that  "  two  Protestants  in  a  respec- 
table situation  in  life,  brothers,  of  the  name  of  Rob- 
inson, inhabitants  of  the  parish  of  Killegny,  being 
seized  and  carried  to  Vinegar  Hill,  some  Roman 
Catholic  tenants,  anxious  for  their  safety,  galloped  in 
full  speed  to  Roche's  quarters  at  Lacken,  and  begged 
his  assistance.  He  immediately  sent  an  express  with 
orders  to  bring  the  two  Robinsons  to  Lacken,  pre- 
tending to  have  charges  of  a  criminal  nature  against 
them,  for  which  they  should  be  tried.  The  miscre- 
ants on  Vinegar  Hill,  who  .were  preparing  to  butcher 
tlu  >c  men,  though  they  were  advanced  in  years,  and 
unimpeachable  with  any  other  crime  than  that  of 
Protestantism,  on  receipt  of  Roche's  orders,  relin- 
quished their  fury,  not  doubting  that  death  awaited 


IRISH  REBELLION.  253 

them  at  Lacken.  But  Roche,  whose  object  was  to 
snatcii  these  innocent  men  from  the  jaws  of  the 
blood-hounds,  immediately  on  their  arrival  at  his 
quarters  gave  them  written  protections,  and  sent  them 
to  their  homes,  where  they  were  soon  after  in  danger 
of  being  hanged  by  the  king's  troops,  who  were  too 
ready  to  pronounce  disloyal  all  such  as  had  been 
spared  by  rebel  parties."*  But  to  put  the  question 
forever  at  rest,  whether  the  insurrection  of  this  period 
was  a  war  of  religion,  it  is  only  necessary  to  observe, 
that  this  was  utterly  impossible,  notwithstanding  the 
fanatic  deeds  of  some  base  and  barbarous  individu- 
als, since  the  militia  regiments,  who  fought  with  such 
determined  animosity  against  the  insurgents,  were 
mostly  composed  of  Catholics.  Had  there  been  any 
possible  grounds  to  establish  the  rebelhon  a  religious 
one,  it  could  not  have  escaped  its  effect  here,  as  en- 
thusiastic bigots  have  however  ventured  to  utter 
among  them  their  envenomed  sentiments.  The  late 
Earl  of  Clare,  who  cannot  be  suspected  of  being  a 
friend  to  Catholics,  could  not  have  given  his  opinion 
in  the  imperial  parliament,  that  "  religion  was  not  the 
cause  of  the  rebellion,"  had  he  not  every  opportunity 
from  his  official  situation  of  being  perfectly  possessed 
of  more  information  than  could  fall  to  the  lot  of  the 
public  at  large. 

While  the  principal  inhabitants  of  Wexford  were 
in  consultation,  to  which  they  were  now  summoned, 
upon  the  best  mode  of  self-preservation  and  defence, 
the  order  for  all  the  armed  men  to  appear  in  camp 
by  break  of  day  became  imperative ;  and  the  outcry 
was  so  loud  against  the  backwardness  of  the  Wex- 
ford-men,  that  several  set  off  immediately.  The  six 
small   cannon   on    board   the    Guinea   cutter   were 

*  See  Gordon's  History,  page  140. 
22 


254  HISTORY  OF  THE 

brought  on  shore,  and  iheir  carriages  being  too  small 
for  land  service,  they  were  tied  on  cars  and  taken, 
thus  mounted,  by  the  sailors  to  the  camp  at  the 
Three  Rocks,  where  the  scarcity  of  ammunition  was 
so  great,  that  not  a  charge  remained  for  any  other 
cannon.  On  this  evening  it  was  that  the  Wexford 
guns-men  had  returned  home  from  Vinegar  Hill ;  and 
about  seventy  men  from  the  northern  side  of  the 
Slaney  came  into  town  during  the  night,  and  were 
lodged  in  the  barrack  by  Captain  Dixon,  who  had 
been  remarkably  active  in  spreading  alarm  through 
the  country  north  of  the  town,  through  which  he  had 
rode  several  miles  to  induce  the  people  to  come  into 
Wexford,  as  it  w^ere  for  general  defence.  Early  on 
the  morning  of  the  20th,  the  drum  beat  to  arms,  and 
all  the  armed  inhabitants  marched  out  to  camp,  leav- 
ing none  in  the  town  but  the  guards  that  had  been  on 
duly  since  the  day  before.  Some  time  after,  I  met 
Captain  Dixon  in  the  street,  booted  and  spurred,  and 
in  all  appearance  thoroughly  equipped  and  accoutred 
to  go  out  to  battle  :  his  horse  also  stood  wailing  at  his 
door  fully  caparisoned.  On  inquiry,  however,  1  found 
he  had  no  real  intention  of  quilling  the  town.  I  then 
informed  him,  that  I  w^as  sent  by  the  commander-in- 
chief  to  request  his  immediate  attendance  at  the 
Three  Rocks  ;  but  this  he  declined  obeying,  and  was 
at  the  time  in  the  act  of  sending  whiskey  to  the  coun- 
trymen who  were  in  tlie  barrack  ;  and  on  my  ex- 
pressing surprise  that  these  men  should  remain  in  the 
town,  contrary  to  general  orders,  he  replied,  that  his 
intention  was  to  keep  these  men  in  Wexford  to  re- 
place the  guards,  who,  he  said,  liad  never  been  in  any 
battle,  and  must  now  go  out,  as  it  was  but  fair  they 
should  share  hardship  in  their  turn,  and  allow  some 
repose  to  those  men  w^ho  had  been  in  every  engage- 
ment. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  255 

On  this  intelligence  I  immediately  got  on  horse- 
back and  rode  up  to  the  barracks,  where  I  endeavor- 
ed by  every  means  in  my  power  to  induce  the  men 
to  leave  the  town  ;  and  ihey  at  length  seemed  will- 
ing to  consent.  But  on  the  arrival  of  Captain  Dixon, 
with  the  reinforcement  of  whiskey,  they  so  far  alter- 
ed their  opinions  and  inclinations,  that  I  was  threat- 
ened for  my  interference.  From  the  specimen  of 
Captain  Dixon's  disposition  displayed  by  his  conduct 
to  Colonel  Lehunte,  no  confidence  could  be  placed 
in  him ;  and  seeing  his  influence  over  these  men, 
who  now  at  his  instance  absolutely  refused  to  quit 
the  town,  measures  of  precaution  naturally  suggested 
themselves.  After  recommending  to  the  guards  to 
be  vigilant  on  their  station,  which  they  were  to  quit 
upon  no  account,  I  galloped  off  to  the  camp  at  Three 
Rocks,  to  request  a  reinforcement  of  tfic  Wexford 
men  to  be  sent  back  with  me,  but  which  I  had  the 
greatest  difficulty  in  obtaining,  notwithstanding  all 
my  remonstrances,  and  was  at  last  granted,  rather  to 
get  rid  of  my  importunity  than  from  any  other  reason 
or  motive  ;  as  no  idea  of  a  massacre  was  at  all  en- 
tertained. I  was,  however,  allowed  to  take  my 
choice  of  the  Wexford  corps,  but  on  no  condition 
should  they  be  permitted  to  quit  the  camp,  until  the 
whole  remaining  force  should  have  marched  off,  as 
it  was  apprehended  that  if  they  were  seen  going  they 
might  be  followed  by  others.  Fearing  the  men  might 
be  countermanded  if  I  should  leave  them  before  the 
main  body  should  have  moved  off,  I  waited  for  that 
event,  which  took  up  a  considerable  time  ;  during 
which  I  also  procured  a  letter  from  the  commander- 
in-chief,  Mr.  Harvey,  directed  to  Captain  Dixon,  or- 
dering him  to  come  out  to  camp,  as  I  felt  earnest 
wishes  to  induce  him  to  leave  the  town,  for  which 
purpose  I  left  no  means  untried,  but  all  without  ef- 


256  HISTORY  OF  THE 

feet.  On  consulting  with  some  gentlemen  m  the 
Selsker  corps,  which  was  that  I  had  chosen  to  re- 
turn with  me,  as  it  contained  more  respectable  per- 
sons and  Protestants,  since  in  different  yeomanry 
corps,  than  any  other  in  Wexford,  I  proposed  that 
they  should  all  take  an  oath  not  to  drink  spirits  until 
further  orders,  as  I  perceived  some  drunken  men 
among  them,  w^ho  could  not  be  depended  upon. 
This  plan  was  generally  approved  of,  and  all  were 
accordingly  sworn,  except  four  or  five,  who  w^ere  im- 
mediately sent  off  with  the  main  body.  This  corps 
consisted  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-iive  pikemen, 
(no  gunsman  being  allowed  to  return,)  and  with  these, 
having  secured  their  sobriety,  along  with  the  guards 
that  had  remained  in  Wexford,  I  thought  to  be  com- 
pletely able  to  keep  Captain  Dixon  and  his  drunken 
crew  of  about  seventy  in  awe,  should  they  show  an 
inclination  to  be  refractory.  When  I  judged  all  dan- 
ger of  a  countermand  was  over,  I  set  off  at  full  speed 
towards  Wexford,  to  announce  this  reinforcement  to 
the  guards  there  on  duty;  but  about  halfway  I  met 
four  Protestant  gentlemen,  with  pikes,  marching  out 
to  camp  ;  and  as  I  had  seen  them  before  in  the 
morning,  when  they  declared  no  intention  of  this 
kind,  I  expressed  my  surprise  at  their  leaving  the 
town,  and  insisted  on  their  returning  thither  with  me; 
but  this  at  first  they  refused,  alleging  that,  on  my 
quilting  the  town.  Captain  Dixon  had  gone  about  the 
streets  threatening  death  and  destruction  to  all  who 
would  not  immediately  go  out  to  camp,  which  had 
induced  them  to  set  off  accordingly.  However  I 
altered  their  resolution  by  calming  their  fears,  and 
by  showing  the  letter  from  the  commander-in-chief 
to  Captain  Dixon,  suggesting  that  they  would  still 
be  on  the  best  duty  by  joining  the  men  that  were  on 
their  return  ;    upon  which  they  promised  to  come 


IRISH  REBELLION.  257 

back  and  give  me  their  advice  and  assistance  towards 
the  protection  of  the  prisoners ;  in  whose  defence  I 
declared  I  would  take  up  arms,  which  I  had  not  yet 
done,  and  should  1  fall,  I  thought  it  would  be  a  noble 
death  to  die  on  such  an  occasion.  On  this  informa- 
tion I  hastened  with  all  speed  to  Wexford,  from 
which  I  had  been  now  absent  about  four  hours,  on 
account  of  all  the  delays  I  unavoidably  experienced, 
the  Three  Rocks  being  three  miles  distant  from  the 
town  ;  but  how  great  was  my  surprise  and  astonish- 
ment on  finding  the  latter  taken  possession  of  by  a 
vast  multitude  of  people,  consisting  of  several  thou- 
sands, many  of  whom  were  well  armed,  and  in  such 
force  as  to  banish  all  hope  that  the  small  number  of 
Wexford  men  remaining  in,  and  returning  to  the 
town,  could  in  case  of  need  give  them  any  effectual 
resistance.  General  Edward  Roche  had,  as  has  been 
before  mentioned,  returned  home,  at  a  very  late  hour 
on  the  19th,  from  the  camp  on  Vinegar  Hill,  to  col- 
lect and  lead  thither  all  the  men  in  his  neighborhood. 
The  number  of  these  was  now  immensely  increased 
by  the  vast  crowds  of  fugitives  driven,  by  the  ap- 
proach of  the  army,  from  about  Gorey  into  the  part 
of  the  country  called  Shilmalier.  Through  this  quar- 
ter, Captain  Dixon  had  made  an  excursion  on  the 
same  day,  diffusing  dread  and  alarm,  and  calling  on 
the  people  to  assemble  for  general  defence  at  Wex- 
ford ;  and  unfortunately  he  was  so  successful  in  his 
efforts,  that  on  the  morning  of  the  20th,  when  the 
people  were  assembled,  and  that  General  Edward 
Roche  thought  to  lead  them  towards  Enniscorthy, 
they  peremptorily  refused  to  proceed,  representing 
Wexford,  from  the  suggestions  of  Captain  Dixon,  as 
more  vulnerable ;  wherefore  the  general  himself 
thought  it  more  advisable  to  continue  with  this  body 
of  the  people,  now  consisting  chiefly  of  the  fugitives 


1^8  HISTORY  OF  THE  --  > 

from  the  northern  parts  of  the  county.  These  were 
continually  relating  their  misfortunes,  the  cnielties 
they  suffered,  and  the  hardships  they  endured,  to 
those  with  whom  they  took  refuge  ;  which  roused 
and  irritated  the  populace  to  such  a  pitch  of  fury  as 
admits  not  of  description,  and  of  which  none  but  an 
eye-witness  can  have  an  adequate  idea.  All  en- 
treaties or  remonstrances  to  sooth  or  calm  the  exas- 
perated multitude  were  in  vain  :  however,  continuing 
still  on  horseback,  I  endeavored  to  address,  explain, 
excuse,  and  expostulate,  and  in  the  course  of  these 
attempts  many  pikes  were  raised  against  me,  and 
several  guns  and  pistols  cocked  and  pointed  at  me, 
and  vengeance  vowed  against  me  as  an  Orangeman ; 
for  they  vociferated  that  I  had  distinguished  myself 
by  no  other  feat,  but  activity  in  protecting  their  en- 
emies the  Orangemen ;  that  I  had  never  attended 
their  camps,  or  I  would  be  a  judge  of  their  miseries 
by  the  view  of  general  desolation.  One  man  would 
roar  out,  that  I  had  not  been  flogged  as  he  had  been ; 
another  pathetically  related,  that  his  house  had  been 
burned,  and  he  had  been  driven  to  beggary  with  his 
whole  family,  and  he  would  have  the  death  of  the 
person  that  injured  him ;  a  third  lamented  the  death 
of  his  father,  another  that  of  his  brother,  others  of 
their  children  ;  and  the  appeal  was  made  to  me  to 
decide  on  all  their  various  sufferings  and  misfor- 
tunes ;  while  they  perseveringly  declared,  they  only 
wanted  to  be  avenged  of  those  who  had  actually  done 
them  wrong  ;  and  I  was  asked,  if  similarly  circum- 
stanced, would  I  not  take  revenge  for  such  injuries 
as  theirs  ?  All  this  I  endeavored  to  answer,  and 
strove  to  appease  the  wrath  of  popular  phrensy,  by 
alleging  that  the  laws  of  God  were  indefeasible,  and 
that  they  dictated  that  good  should  be  relumed  for 
evil.     This  had  some  little  effect  for  the  insta»t ;  but 


IRISH  REBELLION.  259 

it  was,  indeed,  but.  momentary.  I,  however,  con- 
tinued still  unwearied  in  my  exertions,  particularly 
endeavoring  to  preserve  my  dear  and  beloved  friend, 
Mr.  Turner,  whose  death,  and  that  of  a  Mr.  Gains- 
fort,  the  populace  declared  indispensable  to  their 
satisfaction,  as  they  had  led  out  the  army  against 
them  on  Whitsunday,  and  had  burned  their  houses. 
Although  I  knew  that  my  friend  had  burned  a  house, 
(of  which  he  most  sincerely  and  heartily  repented,) 
yet  I  appealed  to  the  multitude,  if  any  one  could 
prove  the  fact  alleged  against  him,  and  no  one  ap- 
pearing to  come  forward  for  that  purpose,  I  seized 
on  the  glimpse  of  hope  I  now  entertained  of  his  safe- 
ty, thinking  that  his  life  might  be  preserved  by  de- 
manding a  trial,  on  w^hich,  if  no  proof  of  criminality 
could  be  adduced,  it  was  natural  to  conclude  that 
his  safety  must  be  certain.  I  then  made  the  experi- 
ment ;  but  was  answered  by  this  universal  cry — 
"  What  trial  did  we  or  our  friends  and  relations  ob- 
tain when  some  were  hanged  or  shot,  and  others 
whipped  or  otherwise  tortured ;  our  houses  and 
properties  burned  and  destroyed,  and  ourselves  hunted 
like  mad  dogs  ?"  But  I  rejoined  with  some  effect — 
*'  Do  you  mean  to  compare  yourselves  to  the  perpe- 
trators of  such  deeds,  or  would  you  disgrace  your 
conduct  by  such  barbarous  acts  ?"  This  appeal  to 
their  principles  produced  the  consequence,  providen- 
tially, as  I  fondly  hoped,  of  their  consenting  to  a 
trial,  but  on  the  express  condition  that  I  should  re- 
tire, and  be  present  on  no  account.  At  this  critical 
moment  I  perceived  a  person  near  me  whom  I  had 
induced  to  return  from  the  Three  Rocks,  and  who, 
true  to  his  promise  of  every  assistance  in  his  power, 
after  a  variety  of  difficulty  had  got  close  by  me,  to- 
gether with  some  others  of  the  like  benevolent  dis- 
positions, to  whom  I  stooped  down  from  on  horse-r 


260  HISTORY  OF  THE  ^ 

back  to  listen  to  the  arguments  they  humanely  sug- 
gested ;  and  I  must  declare,  that  I  derived  great 
courage,  from  their  presence  and  advice,  to  persist 
in  my  entreaties,  in  the  course  of  which  I  find,  on 
cool  reflection,  that  I  underwent  great  danger,  of 
which  I  was  by  no  means  so  sensible  at  the  time, 
until  afterwards  informed  by  many  who  were  kind 
enough  to  hold  me  in  regard,  while  they  prevented 
diff'erent  persons  from  shooting  me.-  I  entreated  the 
particular  person  before  mentioned,  to  procure  men 
whose  humanity  could  not  be  doubted  to  try  the 
prisoners,  and  when  he  should  have  succeeded,  to 
give  me  notice,  as  I  would  endeavor  in  the  mean 
time  to  delay  the  people,  who  were  insisting  that  I 
should  retire,  "  as,"  they  declared,  "  I  would  go  to 
the  devil  to  save  Turner."  1  did  promise  to  retire 
as  soon  as  I  could  have  proper  persons  appointed  to 
sit  in  trial  over  the  prisoners,  when  my  humane 
friend  beckoned  to  me,  signifying  ihat  he  was  ready. 
I  then  went  into  the  committee-house,  where,  allliough 
Captain  Dixon  and  Morgan  Byrne,  whose  sanguinary 
disposition  I  was  well  aware  of,  insisted  that  they 
should  be  on  the  trial,  I  could  not  oppose  their  ap- 
pointment ;  but,  however,  four  out  of  seven,  which 
was  the  number  chosen,  humanely  offered  them- 
selves, liaving  previously  promised  me  that  they 
.would  not  consent  to  put  any  one  to  death.  I  made 
use  of  another  stratagem  by  proposing  an  oath,  that 
in  their  proceedings  they  would  not  be  guided  by 
public  prejudice,  but  by  justice  and  the  evidence  be- 
fore them.  This  was  with  a  view,  if  possible,  to  se- 
cure the  assistance  and  co-operation  even  of  the 
most  sanguinary,  and  the  seven  were  accordingly 
sworn  to  that  eff'ect.  By  this  contrivance,  and  the 
solemn  assurance  of  the  four  persons  that  they 
would  not  consent  to  the  condemnation  of  any  one,  1 


IRISH  REBELLION.  261 

fondly  hoped  that  I  had  secured  the  life  of  my  friend 
from  danger ;  and  being  fully  confident  of  the  suc- 
cess of  my  plan,  I  left  its  subsequent  management 
to  a  person  on  whose  sincerity  I  could  rely,  and  to 
whose  worth  I  am  sorry  at  not  having  the  liberty  to 
do  justice  by  naming  him  ;  and  having  made  sure  of 
such  a  friend  to  humanity,  1  thought  it  most  prudent 
to  retire,  in  order  to  please  the  people,  the  inclina- 
tions of  many  of  whom  I  had  now  thwarted  for 
hours  ;  and  I  had  good  reason  to  suppose  they  would 
then  be  more  inclined  to  listen  to  a  new  man. 

The  seven  persons  appointed  to  sit  on  the  trial 
proceeded  from  the  committee-house  to  the  jail, 
where  they  went  into  a  small  bedchamber,  inside 
the  jailer's  kitchen,  in  which  Captain  Dixon  had  left 
five  prisoners  whom  he  had  doomed  as  the  first  vic- 
tims for  condemnation  ;  but  he  here  met  with  an  op- 
position of  which  he  was  not  until  that  moment  at 
all  aware.  The  members  of  this  kind  of  popular 
tribunal  divided  ;  three  were  for  death  ;  but  the  other 
four,  true  to  their  promise,  and  unwarped  in  their 
humane  inclinations,  firmly  declared  that  they  con- 
sidered themselves  merely  appointed  to  prevent  mas- 
sacre, and  to  save  the  lives  of  the  prisoners,  and 
would  not  attend  or  listen  to  any  representation  from 
Dixon  or  his  fellows.  This  produced  a  very  violent 
allercalion,  and  great  danger  was  to  be  apprehended 
by  the  friends  of  humanity,  as  Peter  Byrne  actually 
rushed  into  the  room,  and  threatened  them  with  in- 
stant destruction  if  they  did  not  agree  to  the  death 
of  the  prisoners.  Some  others  of  Dixon's  blood- 
thirsty associates  had  got  into  the  jail,  and  were  se- 
lecting such  of  the  prisoners  as  they  pleased  to  doom 
fit  objects  of  destruction  ;  but  although  Dixon's  own 
designs  cannot  be  doubted  of  ravening  for  blood,  and 
that  he  was  willing  and  eager  to  attempt  any  thing 


262  HISTORY  OF  THE 

to  gain  his  object,  yet,  as  the  four  men  resolutely 
persevered  in  refusing  to  agree  to  the  death  of  any 
man  at  such  a  crazy  and  phr^nsied  moment,  he  was 
going  to  retire  from  a  place  where  his  sanguinary 
views  and  cruel  sentiments  were  opposed  and  over- 
ruled, and  it  is  more  than  probable  that  the  sangui- 
nary, retarded  for  hours  in  the  onset,  would  have 
cooled  in  their  fur}^,  and  have  recovered  sentiments 
of  humanity  sufficient  to  prevent  them  from  putting 
any  one  to  death,   were    it   not   for  two  informers, 

Cliarles  Jackson,   a  carver   and  gilder,*   and   

O'Connor,  an  organist,  both  of  whom  had  not  long 
resided  in  Wexford,  and  who  were  cast  off  from  the 
society  of  the  other  prisoners  then  in  the  jail.  These, 
as  ill  fate  would  have  it,  threw  themselves  on  their 
knees  to  Captain  Dixon,  acknowledged  that  they 
were  Orangemen,  and  ready  to  give  every  informa- 
tion, provided  their  hves  might  be  spared.  Dixon, 
before  in  despair  at  finding  his  sanguinary  hopes 
baffled  and  blasted,  readily  agreed  to  their  proposal, 
as  it  afforded  a  new  prospect  of  perpetrating  his  in- 
fernal designs.  He  instantly  addressed  the  people 
assembled  before  the  jail,  stating  that  two  Orange- 
men had  become  informers,  and  that  proceeding  to 
trial  was  therefore  unnecessary,  as  the  evidence  of 
these  men  must  be  conclusive.  It  may  easily  be 
conceived  that  on  this  communication,  horribly  vo- 
ciferated by  Dixon,  and  re-eclioed  by  his  wife,  the 
populace  became  ungovernable  !  The  people  in- 
stantly approved  of  his  plan,  and  demanded  that  all 
Orangemen  should  be  sent  out  to  them  ;  but  his  first 
care  was  to  turn  the  men  who  opposed  his  bloody 
schemes  out  of  the  jail,  of  which  he  and  his  savage 
associates  took  complete  possession.     Kenneth  Ma- 

*  Author  of  Wexford  cruelties. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  263 

thewson,  as  one  of  the  persons  denounced  by  the  in- 
formers, was  then  turned  out,  and  immediately  shot 
at  the  jail  door.  John  Atkins,  a  painter  and  glazier, 
was  another  against  whom  they  gave  information  ; 
and  he  being  one  of  those  whom  "Dixon  had  originally 
•brought  down  for  trial,  as  destined  victims  for  immo- 
lation, he  was  still  in  the  jailers  kitchen,  when,  hear- 
ing himself  called  for  by  name,  he  ran  into  the  inner 
room  and  hid  under  the  bed,  where  he  lay  concealed 
until  all  danger  was  over.  While  these  unforeseen 
but  melancholy  events  were  passing,  I  had  retired  in 
full  assurance  that  the  people  would  be  appeased  ; 
and  notwithstanding  that  they  had  peremptorily  for- 
bidden my  being  present  at  any  trial,  yet  I  was  in 
hopes,  as  appearing  no  longer  on  horseback,  that  I 
might  get  into  the  jail  unobserved,  and  endeavor  to 
assist  those  who  had  undertaken  tlie  humane  and 
philanthropic  task  of  protection.  But  great  was  my 
amazement,  indeed,  at  finding  the  most  violent  threats 
uttered  against  me  as  I  approached  the  multitude. 
I  therefore  thought  it  most  prudent  to  suffer  myself 
to  be  led  by  two  young  women,  who  hurried  me  into 
a  house,  the  door  of  which  happened  to  be  open  ; 
and  while  they  were  explaining  to  me  the  cause  of 
this  sudden  and  unexpected  tumult,  a  shot  was  fired, 
and  it  was  instantly  rumored  through  the  crowd  that 
Colonel  Lehunte  was  killed  ;  upon  which  I  could 
not  help  exclaiming  that  they  had  put  an  innocent 
man  to  death  !  I  then  declared  my  determination  to 
go  out  and  endeavor  to  stop  such  a  scene  of  butch- 
ery. On  this,  a  man  who  knew  me  seized  upon  me, 
and  positively  insisted  I  should  not  leave  the  house, 
as,  just  before  I  had  come  up,  he  had  heard  the  peo- 
ple vow  vengeance  against  me  in  so  vehement  a 
manner,  that  lie  was  certain  I  must  inevitably  perish 
should  I  attempt  to  interfere.     On  finding  that  it  was 


264  HISTORY  OF  THE 

not  possible  for  me  to  do  any  good,  the  share  of  cour- 
age I  had  hitherto  felt  quite  forsook  me  at  this  junc- 
ture :  I  burst  into  tears,  and  sunk  into  a  state  of  in- 
sensibility. When  the  mob  had  in  some  degree  dis- 
persed, 1  was  supported  homewards  by  this  good- 
natured  man,  but  was  obliged  from  faintness  to  stop' 
twice  on  the  way  before  I  reached  my  lodgings. 

It  is  confidently  asked  by  many,  why  the  clergy 
and  principal  inhabitants  did  not  interfere  to  prevent 
massacre.  There  were  but  few  of  the  inhabitants  at 
all  in  the  tow^n,  and  I  saw  most  part  of  the  few  that 
had  remained  in  Wexford  on  that  day,  together  with 
some  clergymen,  do  all  in  their  power  to  restrain  the 
fury  of  the  people,  and  prevent  the  spilling  of  blood  ; 
but  I  do  believe,  that  under  existing  circumstances 
it  was  impossible  to  control  the  multitude,  inflamed 
as  they  were  by  the  representations  of  Dixon  and  his 
associates  ;  and  in  such  imminently  critical  cases,  it 
is  not  every  one  that  has  nerves  strong  enough  to  en- 
counter the  impending  danger.  For  my  own  part, 
although  I  was  courageous  enough  in  the  beginning 
of  the  day,  yet  1  found  myself  afterwards  in  such  a 
state  as  to  be  incapable  of  any  exertion.  I  therefore 
doubt  much  whether  any  person  asking  such  ques- 
tions, would  have  fortitude  or  charity  enough  to 
step  forward  on  sucli  an  occasion,  and  attempt  to 
save  any  one's  life,  so  much  as  by  declaring  a  truth 
favorable  to  his  preservation  ;  a  conduct  that  ought 
to  flow  even  from  spontaneous  generosity  or  grati- 
tude for  material  obHgation  ;  but  such  slight  interfe- 
rence as  this  was  extracted  by  no  motive  from,  but 
in  some  instances  refused  or  perverted  by  the  like 
hypocritical  and  mock  philanthropists  with  those 
who  put  these  presumptuous  interrogatories.  But 
to  judge  fairly  of  the  conduct  of  another,  it  is  neces 
sary  to  be  placed  in  a  similar  situation. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  265 

After  the  death  of  Mathewson,  Captain  Dixon  and 
his  wife  proposed,  that  those  who  were  to  be  put  to 
death  should  be  brought  down  to  the  bridge,  whither 
the  mob  retired.  Eighteen  intended  for  execution 
were  first  conducted  from  the  jail,  under  a  strong 
guard,  headed  by  Dixon,  flanked  by  two  orange  in- 
formers, whom  he  wished  to  exhibit  as  the  grand  sup- 
port of  his  conduct.  These  informers  were  brought 
into  a  public  billiard-room  on  the  Custom-house 
quay,  (and  not  at  all  to  the  bridge,  to  which  it  is  ad- 
jacent,) where  they  underwent  an  examination,  at 
which  Dixon  presided.  It  is  probable,  that  these  in- 
formers did  not  give  information  against  every  one 
that  was  put  to  death  on  this  occasion  ;  but  it  is  a  cer- 
tain truth,  and  an  evident  fact,  that  the  information  of 
these  men  was  esteemed  of  such  consequence,  even 
by  such  a  sanguinary  tribunal,  that  their  services 
saved  their  lives.  The  fate  of  the  prisoners  was 
quickly  decided,  on  their  being  conducted  to  the 
bridge,  as  the  proceedings  concerning  them  were 
summary  indeed.  It  was  asked,  did  any  one  know 
any  good  action  of  the  intended  victim,  sufficient  to 
save  his  life  ;  and  if  no  answer  was  made,  the  asser- 
tion of  an  individual  of  some  deed  against  the  people, 
was  conclusive  evidence  of  guilt,  and  immediately 
deatli  was  the  consequence,  on  his  primary  denunci- 
ation by  Captain  Dixon.  Some,  however,  escaped 
with  their  lives,  on  the  interference  of  some  person 
stepping  forward  in  their  favor.  A  few  were  shot, 
but  the  greater  number  suffered  by  being  piked,  and 
some  of  those  with  aggravated  circumstances  of  bar- 
barity. All  the  bodies  were  thrown  over  the  bridge, 
but  neither  stripped  nor  their  pockets  rifled,  whicli  I 
should  scarcely  have  believed,  but  that  I  have  been 
positively  assured  that  watches  and  money  were 
found  upon  them  when  afterwards  discovered.  Cap- 
23 


266  HISTORY  OF  THE 

tain  Dixon  sent  from  lime  to  time  for  different  per- 
sons to  the  several  places  of  confinement,  and  at  in- 
tervals came  out  to  announce  further  discoveries  from 
the  informers.  This  admirably  suited  his  hellish  pur- 
pose of  pulling  all  ihe  prisoners  to  death  ;  which  he 
might  unfortunately  have  effected,  but  that  Provi 
dence  was  at  length  pleased  to  interpose,  while  the 
minds  of  the  populace  seemed  wrought  up  to  the 
most  desperate  pitch  of  cruelty  !  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Corrin,  who  had  been  absent  from  the  town  the 
whole  of  the  day  on  parochial  duty,  had  but  just  re- 
turned, when  he  was  sent  for  by  Mr.  Kellelt,  then  on 
his  defence  at  the  bridge.  Thither  the  reverend  gen- 
tleman instantly  repaired,  and,  having  thrown  him- 
self on  his  knees,  entreated  they  might  join  him  in 
prayer;  when  he  supplicated  the  Almighty  to  show 
the  same  mercy  to  the  people  as  they  would  show  to 
their  prisoners  ;  and  with  that  he  addressed  them  in 
such  feeling,  pathetic,  and  moving  language,  that  he 
thereby  saved  the  lives  of  several  who  had  been  just 
ordered  to  the  bridge  from  the  market-house  by  Dix- 
on. While  the  Rev.  Mr.  Corrin  was  on  the  fatal  spot, 
Mr.  Esmonde  Kyan,  who  had  been  wounded  in  the 
shoulder  at  the  battle  of  Arklow,  lay  in  the  most  ex- 
cruciating torture  in  a  house  at  Ferry-bank,  on  the 
country  side  of  the  wooden-bridge  ;  but  on  hearing 
what  was  going  forward,  he  instantly  got  out  of  bed, 
ran  to  the  fatal  spot,  and  by  his  animated  conduct  and 
address  rescued  Mr.  Newton  King,  and  Captain  Mil- 
ward  of  the  Wexford  militia,  with  some  others,  from 
the  fury  of  the  populace.  General  Edward  Roche, 
also,  by  his  humane  interference,  snalchcd  Mr.  James 
Goodall  and  others  from  the  jaws  of  death  ;  while 
different  other  persons  of  inferior  note,  and  some  even 
of  the  lower  class,  interposed  so  as  to  save  one  or 
other  of  their  neighbors ;  and  at  length  it  pleased 


IRISFI  REBELLION.  267 

God  that  this  horrid  butchery  ceased  !  The  Catholic 
clergymen  and  all  the  principal  inhabitants  who  re- 
mained in  the  town  that  day,  exhausted  every  means 
in  their  power  in  endeavors  to  appease  ihe  rage  of 
the  populace  ;  of  whom,  it  is  necessary  to  observe, 
they  could  have  little  or  no  personal  knowledge,  as 
the  outrageous  multitude  had  collected  frmn  the 
northern  parts  of  the  county,  and  not  at  all  composed 
of  Wexford-men,  over  whom  they  might  be  supposed 
to  have  some  local  influence.  But  such  as  have  not 
been  eye-witnesses,  and  who  have  not,  even  in  that 
case,  been  sometimes  among  and  conversant  with  the 
people,  can  have  but  a  very  inadequate  idea  of  the 
clanger  of  interference  against  the  uncontrollable  fury 
of  a  rabble  exasperated  to  the  highest  pitch  by  tlie 
incidents  I  have  endeavored  to  describe.  Dreadful 
and  shocking  events  are  most  subject  to  misrepre- 
sentations, as  individuals  will  imagine  excesses  ac- 
cording to  their  several  feelings,  and  although  it  is 
confidently  asserted  that  ninety-seven  were  put  to 
death  on  the  bridge,  I  have  good  reason  to  believe 
that  thirty-five  was  the  number  that  suffered.  Among 
the  various  occupations  assumed  by  diiferent  persons 
in  the  course  of  this  melanclioly  catastrophe,  one 
man,  in  a  most  audible  voice,  counted  the  victims 
one  by  one,  as  they  were  put  to  death  ;  and  I  have 
further  reason  to  believe,  that  thirty-five  was  the  ex- 
act number  of  sufferers  on  the  bridge,  and  one  at  the 
jail  door;  amounting  in  all,  that  day  in  Wexford,  to 
thirty-six ;  as  on  most  particular  inquiry,  even  with 
the  iielp  of  the  lists  published,  as  well  as  from  per- 
sonal knowledge,  I  am  enabled  to  know  that  several 
who  are  stated  to  have  been  sacrificed  on  the  bridge 
that  day,  suftered  not  then,  nor  there,  nor  at  all  in 
Wexford ;  so  that  I  hope  humanity  will  induce  a  fu- 
ture retractation  of  the  lists  alluded  to,  not  only  as  the 


268  HISTORY  OF  THE 

assertors  have  been  evidently  imposed  upon,  but  as 
also  iheir  publication  must  help  to  keep  up  those 
animosities  which  they  profess  they  do  not  wish  lo 
encourage.  But,  if  writers  will  persist  in  publishing 
those  lists,  why  not,  for  the  sake  of  general  and  true 
information,  publish  the  number  of  tlie  killed  and 
wounded,  b}'-  whatever  means,  on  both  sides  ;  since 
it  must  stamp  the  character  of  a  partisan  to  detail 
but  one  side  of  the  question  ?  On  that  ever-to-be- 
lamented  day,  there  are  many  who  ran  great  risk  of 
personal  safety  in  becoming  advocates  for  the  unfor- 
tunate :  I  wish  I  could  learn  of  as  many  who  ex- 
hibited equal  proof  of  sincerity  in  favor  of  the  hapless 
and  ill-fated  people  !  Were  this  the  case,  I  verily 
believe  I  should  not  have  to  relate  the  dreadful  deso- 
lation in  the  county  of  Wexford.  In  critical  times, 
such  as  those,  certainly  different  circumstances  will 
excite  different  sensations  ;  but  with  respect  to  the 
business  before  us,  the  saying  of  a  most  liberal  Prot- 
estant gentleman  must  be  regarded  as  possessing  pe- 
culiar force  in  repressing  misrepresentation.  He 
says,  "  I  have  heard  of  hundreds  of  Catholics  in 
the  county  of  Wexford,  wdio  have,  at  the  risk  of  their 
lives,  saved  Protestants  ;  but  I  have  not  heard  of  a 
single  Protestant  who  encountered  any  danger  to 
save  the  life  of  a  Catholic." 

The  black  flag  that  appeared  in  Wexford  on  this 
day  is,  among  other  things,  talked  of  w^ilh  various 
chimerical  conjectures,  and  its  notoriety  as  denounc- 
ing massacre  has  been  confidently  recorded  ;  not- 
withstanding that  it  is  an  absolute  fact,  that  this  iden- 
tical black  iiag  was,  throughout  the  whole  insurrection, 
borne  by  a  particular  corps,  and  the  carrying  of  ban- 
ners of  that  color  was  by  no  means  a  singular  circum- 
stance during  that  period,  as  flags  of  that  and  every 
other  hue,  except  orange,  were  waved  by  the  insur- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  269 

gents,  and  from  their  difterent  dyes,  ingenious  con- 
jectures, however  groundless  for  the  maintenance  of 
prejudice,  may  be  made  as  to  the  several  dispositions 
of  the  bodies  who  moved  under  them,  as  little  found- 
ed in  fact  or  intention,  as  was  the  original  intention 
of  the  black  ensign  in  question. 

Allhough  General  Edward  Roche  had  the  nominal 
command  of  the  great  body  of  men  that  came  into 
Wexford  on  this  day,  yet  his  authority  appears  to 
liave  been  very  limited,  when  he  was  not  able  to 
lead  them  to  the  intended  destination  ;  but  it  became 
still  less  on  his  arrival  in  that  town,  where  Dixon, 
who  was  his  brother-in-law,  had  gained  such  an  as- 
cendency, allhough  possessed  of  not  even  any  nom- 
inal command  ;  being  but  a  general  blusterer,  affect- 
ing great  consequence,  galloping  from  camp  to  camp, 
and  seeking  every  opportunity  of  doing  mischief, 
generally  while  the  battles  were  going  on,  and  at  one 
of  which  he  never  appeared  but  in  the  background. 
His  denomination  of  captain  was  owing  to  his  being 
master  of  a  sloop  whicli  traded  to  and  from  Wexford. 
This  man's  conduct  was  in  complete  contradiction 
to  the  sentiments  of  Roche,  who  was,  on  his  subse- 
quent surrender  in  December,  1799,  tried  by  a 
court-marlial  in  Wexford,  on  a  charge  of  "aiding 
and  abetting  the  murders  on  the  bridge,  on  the  20th 
of  June,  1798."  But  his  humane  exertions  appeared 
so  meritorious  before  that  tribunal,  that  he  was  ac- 
quitted of  this  charge,  which  could  not  possibly  be, 
as  he  possessed  command,  had  it  not  been  perfectly 
proved  ihat  such  command  was  merely  nominal,  as 
his  orders  and  endeavors  were  counteracted  by  per- 
sons having  no  command  whatever,  but  what  arose 
from  inflammatory  addresses  to  the  populace,  urging 
them  to  take  exemplary  vengeance  of  their  enemies, 
in  which  they  were  unfortunately  but  too  successful. 
23* 


270  HISTORY  OF  THE 

In  the  first  house  I  liad  been  obliged  to  stop  at  on 
the  way  to  my  lodgings,  I  met  a  gentleman  to  whom 
I  was  endeavoring  to  give  some  account  of  wiiat  had 
occurred,  while  Dixon  was  passing  by,  with  the  two 
Orange  informers,  one  on  each  side  of  him.  The 
gentleman  ran  out  and  began  to  plead  for  mercy,  ex- 
pressing at  the  same  time  a  hope  that  Dixon  would 
come  into  the  house  and  consult  with  me,  before  he 
would  put  his  designs  into  execution.  But  on  this 
Dixon  exclaimed,  "  Is  it  to  consult  Mr.  Hay,  who 
has  already  deserved  death  for  the  part  he  has  taken 
in  stopping  us  so  long  from  taking  revenge  of  our 
enemies  ?  Here  are  two  Orangemen,  who  have  be- 
come informers,  and  there  are  the  men  I  am  going 
to  have  put  to  death,  (pointing  to  the  prisoners  that 
were  following  him  under  a  strong  militaiy  guard,) 
and  when  I  have  done  with  these,  I  shall  then  treat 
Mr.  Hay  in  the  same  manner."'  When  Dixon  had 
passed  on,  the  gentleman  returned  and  offered  to 
conduct  me  home,  but  I  was  again  obliged  to  stop 
on  the  way  in  a  house  where  the  wives  and  daugh- 
ters of  some  officers,  affrighted  by  the  general  alarm, 
ran  to  me  in  tears,  while  all  I  could  do  was  to  join 
in  their  lamentations.  I  certainly  should  not  have 
had  sufficient  power  to  walk  any  farther,  had  I  not 
taken  a  glass  of  wine  they  kindly  offered  me.  How- 
ever, I  at  length  arrived  at  the  house  where  I  had 
been  since  the  insurrection,  and  there  remained  in  a 
state  of  stupid  insensibility,  until  I  was  roused  by 
several  ladies,  who  pressed  me  to  come  to  dinner, 
which  was  unusually  late  that  day ;  and  although  I 
was  able  to  carve  for  the  ladies,  1  could  not  taste  a 
morsel  myself.  Shortly  after,  a  messenger  came  for 
me  from  Lord  Kingsborough  and  his  officers,  re- 
questing my  immediate  attendance.  I  instantly 
complied,  although  I   had   little  hopes  of  being  able 


IRISH  REBELLION.  271 

to  afford  them  any  relief,  yet  I  would  not  refuse  to 
try  my  best  endeavors.  On  getting  into  the  street, 
I  met  a  crowd  of  people  proceeding  to  a  particular 
house,  with  intention,  as  I  soon  discovered,  of  bring- 
ing out  Mr.  Joseph  Gray,  lieutenant  of  the  Wexford 
cavalry,  who  had  transported  his  servant.  I  had  the 
presence  of  mind  to  say  that  Mr.  Gray  was  out  fight- 
ing for  them,  and  that  they  seemed  to  me  not  to  be 
able  to  distinguish  their  friends  from  their  enemies  ; 
which  fortunately  prevented  them  from  proceeding 
any  farther ;  for  1  knew  he  was  in  the  house,  and 
had  too  much  reason  to  fear,  that  upon  their  forcing 
into  it,  his  death  and  many  more  must  have  been  the 
inevitable  consequence.  This  device  proving  suc- 
cessful, gave  me  more  courage  to  go  on  to  Lord 
Kingsborough's  lodgings,  where  I  was  refused  ad- 
mittance. However,  I  spoke  to  him  and  his  officers 
as  they  appeared  at  the  windows,  and  declared,  that 
as  long  as  I  was  alive  myself,  they  might  depend 
upon  every  exertion  of  mine  in  their  behalf.  Sliordy 
after  I  fortunately  met  General  Edward  Roche, 
whose  humane  exertions  to  prevent  them,  were  as 
conspicuous  as  his  lamentations  were  sincere  for  the 
dreadful  scenes  then  exhibiting.  I  conjured  him  to 
hasten  down  to  the  bridge,  and  there  to  represent  the 
urgent  necessity  of  the  people's  attendance  at  Vin- 
egar Hill,  suggesting  that  he  could,  with  more  pro- 
priety than  any  other,  interpose  his  authority  with  a 
prospect  of  success,  as  he  was  himself  called  on  to 
attend  by  all  the  chiefs  in  the  camp  ;  and  as  an  ex- 
press was  sent  from  Vinegar  Hill  to  Wexford  de- 
manding reinforcements,  and  expressing  surprise 
that  Edward  Roche  had  not  come,  with  the  force  of 
his  neighborhood,  which  he  had  been  sent  home  to 
collect  and  bring  along  with  him.  These  considera- 
tions inspired  the  general  with  new  vigor  to  endeavor 


272  HISTORY  OF  THE 

to  lead  these  men  out  of  the  town,  which  he  at  length 
effected,  and  the  people  marched  off  under  his  com- 
mand out  of  Wexford. 

When  the  town  was  thus  cleared  of  its  dreadful 
visiters,  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening  I  obtained 
admission  to  Lord  Kingsborough  and  his  officers. 
We  jointly  took  a  retrospective  view  of  the  horribly 
distracted  state  of  the  country,  as  well  as  of  its  im- 
pending danger,  and  after  a  variety  of  consultation 
between  us,  it  was  agreed  that  the  only  mode  of 
preserving  Wexford  and  all  its  inhabitants  from  de- 
struction was,  that  early  on  the  next  morning,  I 
should  accompany  Lord  Kingsborough  to  the  army, 
and  by  an  explanation  of  existing  circumstances  it 
was  hoped  that  the  town  might  be  spared  from  the 
dreadful  fate  which  seemed  to  await  it  every  instant. 
Wexford  was  indeed  at  this  period  in  a  most  perilous 
situation.  Litelligence  had  arrived  there  of  the  ap- 
proach of  three  different  armies — one  of  which  was 
advanced  as  far  as  Oulart,  another  had  arrived  at 
Enniscorthy,  and  the  progressive  march  of  the  third 
was  conspicuous  the  evening  before  from  the  Three 
Rocks,  by  the  insurgents  stationed  there,  who  on  the 
morning  of  this  day  proceeded  to  meet  it.  The  gun- 
boats on  the  coast  also  made  a  formidable  appear- 
ance, as  announced  by  the  men  who  had  been  sta- 
tioned at  the  fort  of  Roslare,  but  who  now  abandoned 
that  post  and  fled  into  Wexford,  bringing  the  alarm- 
ing news  that  several  ships  of  war,  and  other  armed 
vessels  were  approaching  the  harbor.  By  the  time 
we  had  settled  all  matters  relative  to  our  departure 
on  this  expedition  next  morning,  it  was  advanced  in 
the  night,  and  the  Wexford  men  were  flocking  home 
from  the  battle  of  Fooks's-mill.  I  had  then  proposed 
to  go  and  consult  the  principal  inhabitants,  whose 
co-operation  and  assistance  were  so  necessary  in  such 


IRISH  REBELLION.  273 

an  undertaking,  but  which  I  made  not  the  least  doubt 
of  obtaining,  and  took  my  leave  of  his  lordship  and 
the  other  officers,  promising  to  return  to  them  early 
on  the  next  morning.  It  was  a  considerable  time 
before  I  could  collect  a  sufficient  number  of  the 
principal  inhabitants  to  communicate  my  intentions 
to  them  ;  and  even  when  it  was  at  length  effected, 
their  confusion  was  such,  that  it  was  agreed  to  post- 
pone the  business  until  early  in  the  following  morn- 
ing, then  to  meet  at  Captain  Keugh's  house,  where 
the  subject  would  be  taken  into  consideration  by  a 
general  assembly,  which  could  not  be  so  well  formed 
at  that  time  of  the  night. 

About  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  20lh, 
the  army  under  the  command  of  General  Moore  be- 
gan to  march  from  its  encampment  at  Long-graigue, 
the  seat  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Sutton,  towards  Taghmon, 
and  had  proceeded  but  half  a  mile,  when  the  insur- 
gent force  from  the  Three  Rocks,  led  on  by  their 
general  the  Rev.  Philip  Roche,  appeared  in  view  at 
a  place  called  Fooks's  mill.  Each  party  immediately 
commenced  the  attack,  which  lasted  with  various 
success  and  great  obstinacy  on  both  sides,  for  four 
hours,  when  the  insurgents  having  expended  the 
whole  of  their  ammunition  at  the  very  moment  that 
it  is  said  the  troops  were  on  the  point  of  giving  way, 
thought  proper  to  retire,  and  made  a  good  retreat  to 
their  original  station  on  the  Three  Rocks.  In  this 
engagement,  from  the  nature  of  the  ground,  the  great 
body  of  the  pikemcn  could  not  be  brought  into  ac- 
tion, so  that  there  were  not  more  of  the  insurgents 
engaged,  than  about  an  equal  number  with  that  of 
the  army  against  them,  whose  loss  too  is  said  to  be 
considerably  greater  than  theirs  ;  but  although  Gen- 
eral Moore's  dispatches  concerning  the  engagement 
have  been  pubhshed,  yet  the  Hst  of  the  killed  and 


274  HISTORY  OF  THE 

wounded,  mentioned  to  have  been  sent  with  the  gen- 
eral's letter,  has  been  suppressed,  so  that  I  have  not 
been  able  to  obtain  the  official  account  of  this  partic- 
ular. The  insurgents,  as  usual,  did  not  attempt  to 
retreat  until  they  had  fired  their  last  shot,  when  two 
regiments  under  Lord  Dalhousie  were  perceived 
coming  up  to  reinforce  General  Moore.  The  insur- 
gents in  the  retreat  brought  away  with  them  five 
out  of  the  six  small  cannon  which  they  brought  out 
witli  them  ;  all  of  which  had  been  fastened  on  com- 
mon cars  with  ropes,  and  the  remaining  one  they 
lost,  because  the  car  upon  which  it  was  mounted 
having  been  broken  by  falling  into  a  ditch,  it  was 
left  there.  The  Wexford  men,  who  were  in  this 
engagement,  attended  their  companions  to  the  Three 
Rocks,  and  then  proceeded  to  the  town,  where  they 
arrived  late  at  night. 

General  Johnston  had  smart  skirmishing  with  the 
outposts  of  the  insurgents  from  Enniscorthy  on  the 
20th,  on  his  arrival  at  Bloomfield,  within  a  mile  of 
Enniscorth}^  Early  on  the  morning  of  the  21st,  a 
general  assault  was  made  on  the  insurgent  force  en- 
camped on  Vinegar  Hill  by  General  Lake,  while  the 
town  of  Enniscorthy  was  attacked  by  General  John- 
ston, which  he  carried  after  an  obstinate  resistance 
for  two  hours,  with  great  slaughter  of  the  insurgents, 
whose  defence  of  the  place  was  most  wonderful,  con- 
sidering that  they  had  but  a  few  pounds  of  powder 
to  distribute  to  their  whole  force  on  the  preceding 
evening ;  so  that  it  is  astonishing  how  they  could 
venture,  with  such  a  scanty  provision  of  ammunition, 
to  give  any  opposition  to  an  army  of  great  force,  per- 
fectly equipped  and  appointed,  and  abundantly  pro- 
vided with  every  necessary.  Even  on  Vinegar  Hill 
there  were  but  two  charges  for  cannon  ;  one  of 
which  was  fired  against  the  army  approaching  from 


IRISH  REBELLION.  275 

Solsboroiigh,  and  the  other  dismounted  cannon  posted 
at  the  Duffrey-gate  at  Enniscorthy  ;  and  although  a 
great  number  of  cannon  and  bombs  were  fired  from 
the  royal  artillery  towards  Vinegar  Hill,  only  one  man 
was  wounded,  and  none  killed,  by  the  shot  from  the 
ordnance.  The  insurgents,  notwithstanding  their  de- 
fenceless situation,  displayed  vast  courage  and  intre- 
pidity before  they  abandoned  the  hill,  which  they 
were  at  length  obliged  to  do,  and  great  numbers  of 
them  fell  on  this  occasion.  All  suspected  persons 
were  put  to  death  in  Enniscorthy,  and  several  houses 
were  set  on  fire  ;  among  the  rest  that  which  had 
been  used  by  the  insurgents  as  an  hospital,  which, 
together  with  all  the  wounded  men  in  it,  were  totally 
consumed.  A  free  passage  was  left  for  the  insur- 
gents to  retreat  to  Wexford,  as  the  division  of  the 
army  under  General  Needham,  from  some  unac- 
countable reason,  had  not  come  up  in  time  to  join  the 
battle  ;  and  from  the  route  this  division  took,  it  is 
surprising  that  it  did  not  fall  in  with  the  insurgent 
force  under  General  Edward  Roche,  who  was  also 
too  late  for  the  engagement,  as  he  only  arrived  just 
at  the  commencement  of  the  retreat  of  the  insurgents, 
which,  however,  he  recovered  with  his  men,  from 
Darby-gap,  and  restrained  the  career  of  the  cavalry 
that  were  in  full  pursuit  of  the  insurgents  dislodged 
from  Vinegar  Hill. 

Lord  Kingsborough  was  so  anxious  to  carry  the 
plan  we  had  agreed  on  for  the  salvation  of  the  town 
into  execution,  that  he  sent  for  me  before  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning  on  the  21st,  when  I  had 
scarcely  time  to  have  taken  any  rest.  I  instantly  got 
up  and  went  to  liim,  when  I  found  him  arrayed  in 
full  uniform,  and  completely  equipped  to  set  out  that 
moment,  which  he  wanted  me  to  do  also ;  but  I  rep- 
resented to  him  the    danger  of  going  through  the 


276  HISTORY  OF  THE 

country  in  such  apparel  as  he  then  was,  and  that,  at  all 
events,  our  safety  could  not  be  secured  withoutthe  con- 
currence of  the  people  with  our  plan,  which,  however, 
I  thought  would  be  easily  obtained,  as  I  related  to 
liim  the  conversation  I  held  with  the  principal  inhab- 
itants on  the  night  preceding  ;  and  that  1  expected 
to  meet  them  again  on  the  subject  at  an  early  hour 
that  morning.  He  and  his  officers  then  entreated 
me  to  hasten  the  meeting,  and  to  have  the  drum  beat 
to  arms,  for  the  people  to  assemble,  that  their  consent 
might  be  obtained,  as  there  was  no  time  to  be  lost  in 
carrying  into  effect  the  only  means  of  saving  the 
town  from  total  destruction  ;  for  we  distinctly  heard 
the  report  of  the  cannon  from  Enniscorthy,  where  the 
battle  had  just  then  commenced.  I  immediately 
went  and  rapped  up  the  principal  inhabitants  nearest 
to  me,  whom  I  commissioned  to  call  up  their  neigh- 
bors ;  and  thus  in  a  short  time  was  the  whole  town 
roused  from  slumber.  A  meeting  consequently  took 
place  at  the  house  of  Captain  Keugh,  where  it  was 
thought  advisable  that  Doctor  Jacob  should  accom- 
pany Lord  Kingsborough  and  me  ;  but  on  further 
contemplation,  instead  of  one,  it  was  judged  neces- 
sary to  send  out  three  deputations  from  the  town  to 
the  three  different  armies  approaching,  lest  one  might 
not  be  able  to  effect  its  purpose  ;  and  it  was  also 
thought  most  prudent  that  Lord  Kingsborough  should 
not  leave  the  town,  but  that  it  should  be  instantly 
surrendered  to  him,  as  military  commander ;  and 
Doctor  Jacob,  who  was  present,  offered  to  reassume 
the  office  of  mayor;  so  that  this  was  putting  all  kind 
of  civil  and  military  authority  into  the  same  hands  in 
which  they  were  before  the  insurrection  ;  and  thus 
did  the  inhabitants  of  Wexford  do  every  thing  con- 
sistent with  duty  by  taking  the  earliest  opportunity 
of  returning  to  their  allegiance,  which,,  by  th©  funda- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  277 

mental  principles  of  the  constitution,  could  never  be 
arraigned,  as  they  were  not  only  abandoned,  but 
even  surrendered  to  the  insurgents,  by  those  who 
were  bound,  by  every  tie  of  duty  and  interest,  to  pro- 
tect them,  but  who,  instead  of  acting  as  they  ought, 
sent  a  deputation  of  surrender,  and  shamefully  fled, 
leaving  even  their  own  wives  and  families,  together 
with  the  other  inhabitants,  under  the  uncontrollable 
sway  of  the  conquerors,  whom  they  thus  constituted 
regular  enemies. 

Captain  M'Manus  of  the  Antrim  militia  and  my- 
self were  appointed  to  proceed  to  the  army  at  Oulart, 
with  the  proposal  of  the  inhabitants  of  Wexford  and 
Lord  Kingsborough's  dispatches  ;  Captain  O'Hea  of 
the  North  Cork  militia,  and  Mr.  Thomas  Cloney, 
were  deputed  on  the  like  mission  to  Enniscorthy ;  and 
Captain  Bourke  of  the  North  Cork  militia,  and  Mr. 
Robert  Carly  were  sent  to  the  army  of  Taghmon. 
The  meeting  was  then  adjourned  to  the  custom-house 
quay  to  propose  these  arrangements  to  the  people, 
assembled  there  on  parade  for  the  purpose.  They 
approved  of  every  step  that  had  been  taken  with  three 
cheers  ;  and  the  business  was  concluded  by  a  most 
feeling  address  from  Doctor  Jacob,  in  tears,  to  the 
people,  whose  good  opinion  on  all  occasions  he  was 
so  happy  as  to  possess,  by  being  very  attentive  in  his 
duty  as  physician  and  surgeon  to  the  wounded.  A 
deputation  then  went  to  Lord  Kingsborough's  lodg- 
ings to  inform  him  of  the  determination  of  the  peo- 
ple ;  and  his  lordship,  upon  accepting  of  the  military 
command  of  the  town,  applied  to  Captain  Keugh  for 
his  sword  ;  but  he,  taking  a  wrong  impression  of  the 
solemnity  of  the  previous  proceedings,  and  imagining 
himself  entitled  to  march  out  at  the  head  of  the  peo- 
ple to  meet  the  army  approaching  the  town,  proposed 
surrendering  it  and  the  sword  together  to  the  officer 
24 


278  HISTORY  OF  THE 

principal  in  command  of  the  army  approaching  the 
town  ;  but  not  finding  one  supporter  of  this  proposed 
scheme,  he  reluctantly  surrendered  to  Lord  Kings- 
borough  his  sword  and  other  arms,  but  with  the 
greatest  formality. 

Lord  Kingsborough,  thus  invested  with  the  mili- 
tary authority  in  Wexford,  set  about  writing  dis- 
patches to  the  several  officers  commanding  the  dif- 
ferent armies  approaching  the  town,  informing  them, 
"  That  the  town  of  Wexford  had  surrendered  to  him, 
and  in  consequence  of  the  behavior  of  those  in  the 
town  during  the  rebellion,  they  should  all  be  protect- 
ed in  person  and  property,  murderers  excepted,  and 
those  who  had  instigated  others  to  commit  murder, 
hoping  these  terms  might  be  ratified,  as  he  had 
pledged  his  honor  in  the  most  solemn  manner  to  have 
tliese  terms  fulfilled  on  the  town  being  surrendered 
to  him,  the  Wexford-men  not  being  concerned  in 
the  massacre  which  was  perpetrated  by  country  peo- 
ple in  their  absence."* 

With  these  dispatches  were  enclosed,  as  a  further 
document,  the  following  proposals  from  the  people 
of  Wexford  : — "  That  Captain  M'Manus  shall  pro- 
ceed from  Wexford  towards  Oulart,  accompanied  by 
Mr.  Edward  Hay,  appointed  by  the  inhabitants  of  all 
religious  persuasions  to  inform  the  officer  command- 
ing the  king's  troops  that  they  are  ready  to  deliver 
up  the  town  of  Wexford  without  opposition,  to  lay 
down  their  arms  and  return  to  their  allegiance,  pro- 
vided that  their  persons  and  properties  are  guaran- 
tied by  the  commanding  officer ;  and  that  they  will 
use  every  influence  in  their  power  to  induce  the  peo- 
ple of  the  country  at  large  to  return  to  their  allegi- 

*  See  Appendix,  Captain  Bourke  and  Lord  Kingston's  letters. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  279 

ance  ;  and  these  terms  it  is  hoped  Captain  M'Manus 
will  be  able  to  procure. 

"  Signed  by  order  of  the  inhabitants  of  Wexford, 

"  Matthew  Keugh. 

"  Wexford,  June  21,  1798." 

All  matters  being  thus  arranged,  I  went  down  to 
the  jail  for  Captain  M'Manus,  as  well  as  to  announce 
the  news  to  all  the  prisoners.  xA.s  I  had  on  a  former 
occasion  consulted  them  on  the  letter  written  in  their 
name  and  behalf,  and  as  ihey  were  universally  pleas- 
ed with  my  sentiments,  they  all  crowded  about  me, 
many  of  them  even  in  their  shirts,  and  when  I  com- 
municated to  "them  the  purport  of  the  mission  of 
Captain  M'Manus  and  myself,  the  joy  they  manifest- 
ed can  only  be  conceived  by  such  as  have  been  in  a 
similar-  situation.  They  expressed  sentiments  of  the 
utmost  kindness  to  me  in  particular,  and  hearty  suc- 
cess to  our  undertaking.  Captain  M'Manus  then 
accompanied  me  to  Lord  Kingsborough,  who  waited 
his  arrival  to  consult  with  him  and  the  principal  in- 
habitants together;  and  when  all  things  were  adjust- 
ed between  them,  and  that  his  lordship  had  written 
his  dispatches,  enclosing  the  proposal  of  the  towns- 
men, the  captain  and  I  set  out,  bearing  these  cre- 
dentials, and  proceeded  as  far  as  Castle-bridge, 
where,  finding  that  the  troops  which  had  been  sta- 
tioned at  Oulart  had  moved  towards  Enniscorlhy,  we 
thought  it  best  to  direct  our  course  thither.  As  yet 
we  had  met  with  none  but  women  and  children  who 
were  bewailing  their  wretched  condition  in  the  most 
piteous  strains.  Shortly  afterwards,  however,  we 
met  Captain  Dixon,  who  had  been  present  at  the  ap- 
proval of  our  deputation  by  the  people  of  Wexford 
in  the  morning ;  but  the  plan  not  corresponding  with 
his  sentiments,  he  had  set  out  with  intention  to  gain 
over  a  party  in  the  country  to  waylay  and  put  us   to 


280  HISTORY  OF  THE 

death  ;  but  as  all  the  men  had  gone  to  camp,  he 
could  not  find  accomplices  to  assist  him  in  this  un- 
dertaking. Soon  after  we  met  Morgan  Byrne,  a 
man  of  the  same  stamp,  who  was  Dixon's  associate 
the  day  before,  and  whose  cowardice  and  cruelty- 
were  equally  conspicuous  ;*  he  accosted  us  in  the 
most  abrupt  and  savage  manner,  vowing  death  and 
destruction  against  numbers,  amopg  whom  he  was 
pleased  to  include  myself  and  my  companion,  whom 
he  called  a  spy.  Upon  my  declaring  that  I  was  go- 
ing to  take  observation  of  the  position  of  the  army, 
he  insisted  upon  accompanying  us  ;  and  as  he  had  a 
musket  and  bayonet,  two  cases  of  pistols — one  in 
holsters  and  the  other  flung  on  his  belts — while  we 
had  no  arms  whatever,  I  thought  it  most  prudent  to 
humor  him  ;  which  I  did  for  two  miles  that  he  rode 
with  us,  when  we  had  the  good  fortune  to  shake  him 
off;  and  I  then  informed  Captain  M'Manus  of  the 
danger  we  had  escaped  by  getting  off  such  a  ruffian. 
We  then  came  to  a  resolution  to  be  the  first  to  ad- 
dress every  one  we  met,  to  show  our  confidence,  and 
by  this  precaution  we  passed  unmolested  by  great 
numbers  who  were  flying  from  Vinegar  Hill,  and  the 
more  dangerous,  as  they  were  stragglers  from  the 
main  body  of  the  insurgents  that  had  taken  another 
road  ;  and  using  many  expedients  to  elude  all  inquiry 
on  our  business,  but  particularly  calling  out  to  the 

*  The  conduct  of  this  man  exemplifies  the  usual  infamy  attend- 
ant on  informers ;  qs  immediately  previous  to  the  insurrection  he 
had  waited  on  Captain  (now  Major)  Kavanagh  with  a  plentiful 
offer  of  information  from  his  father  and  himself,  when  the  sudden 
insurrection  prevented  its  accomphsimient.  He  and  some  of  his 
relatives  were  distinguished  by  their  barbarous  dispositions,  as  true 
co-operators  of  Captain  Dixon,  whose  conduct  is  a  manifest  proof 
how  unhke  you  sometimes  find  even  brothers,  as  they  were  dis- 
tinguished by  their  tenderness  and  humanity,  wliereas  he  was  a 
sanguinary  monster. 


IRISH  REBELLIO>'.  281 

fugitives  to  collect  at  the  Three  Rocks,  (the  place 
appointed  for  the  insurgents  to  wait  until  the  conclu- 
sion of  the  negotiation  then  on  foot,)  we  at  last  arri- 
ved in  sight  of  the  army  at  Darby-gap,  where  Cap- 
tain M'xVIanus  threw  off  a  great-coat  which  1  had  had 
the  precaution  to  nmake  him  wear  over  his  regimen- 
tals. We  then  hoisted  a  white  handkerchief  as  our 
flag;  and  could  descry  the  country  all  along  between 
that  and  Enniscorthy  in  a  most  dreadful  situation  ; 
h.ouses  on  fire,  dead  men  and  women  strewed  along 
the  road  and  in  the  fields  ;  while  the  soldiers  were 
hunting  for  such  as  might  be  concealed  in  the  ditches, 
and  bringing  down  every  person  they  met ;  in  fine, 
it  was  altogether  a  dreadful  picture,  exhibiting  all 
the  horrors  of  war  !  A  small  party  of  the  Antrim 
militia  happened  to  be  among  the  first  of  the  soldiery 
that  we  met,  and  these  hailed  their  officer  with  the 
most  heartfelt  demonstrations  of  joy,  and  conducted 
us  safely  to  Drumgold,  where  we  met  Major-general 
Sir  James  Duff,  who  led  us  into  Enniscorthy  to 
General  Lake,  the  commander-in-chief,  to  whom  we 
delivered  our  dispatches.  The  remains  of  the  town 
exhibited  a  dreadful  aspect,  as  the  greater  part  of 
the  houses,  which  had  escaped  until  the  arrival  of 
the  army,  were  still  on  fire  ;  and  the  house  which 
had  been  used  as  an  hospital  by  the  insurgents,  and 
which  was  set  on  fire  with  all  the  patients  in  it,  con- 
tinued burning  until  next  morning,  when  I  saw  a  part 
of  a  corpse  still  hissing  in  the  embers. 

The  news  of  our  arrival  having  quickly  spread 
through  the  town,  numbers  of  officers,  yeomen,  and 
gentlemen  of  my  acquaintance  crowded  around  me  ; 
some  anxious  to  hear  of  their  friends,  while  others 
expressed  how  disappointed  they  would  be  if  hinder- 
ed from  demolishing  Wexford,  with  all  the  concomit- 
ant horrors  and  atrocities  usual  on  such  dreadful  and 
S4* 


282  HISTORY  OF  THE 

shocking  occasions  !  Some  had  the  savage  indecen- 
cy even  to  mention  some  young  ladies  by  name, 
who,  they  intended,  should  experience  the  eflfects  of 
their  brutal  passions  before  they  would  put  them  to 
death  ;  but  ihese  intentions  they  feared  would  be 
frustrated  by  the  account  I  gave  them  of  the  proposal 
and  dispatches  :  others  wished  the  extermination  of 
all  Catholics  !  some  inquired  for  their  friends  and 
relations,  and  amidst  these  horrors  were  not  destitute 
of  humanity.  While  I  was  thus  conversing  with 
many  of  various  descriptions,  Major-general  Sir 
James  Duff  kindly  came  to  me  and  entreated  that  I 
■would  go  into  the  house  w^here  the  commander-in- 
chief  w'as,  and  by  no  means  to  remain  in  the  streets ; 
for  that  if  I  did,  he  entertained  great  apprehensions 
I  might  fall  a  sacrifice  to  the  furious  disposition  of 
many  persons  in  military  array  ;  offering  at  the  same 
time  to  bring  me  any  gentleman  I  wanted,  as  he 
should  be  sorry  I  should  endanger  my  person,  of 
which  I  ought  then  to  be  particularly  careful,  as,  if 
I  were  to  meet  with  any  accident,  it  might  put  a 
stop  to  any  further  negotiation  on  so  desirable  an  ob- 
ject as  I  was  endeavoring  to  obtain.  I  then  went 
into  the  house,  w4iere  I  continued  the  whole  of  that 
day  and  remained  the  whole  night  also,  as  upon  so- 
liciting an  answer  to  the  dispatches,  the  commander- 
in-chief  signified  that  we  should  not  get  it  until  the 
next  morning.  Some  of  my  friends  have  since  in- 
formed me,  that  they  prevented  several  persons  who 
were  on  the  point  of  shooting  me  from  putting  their 
murderous  intentions  into  effect,  in  the  streets  of 
Enniscorthy.  Captain  O'Hea,  of  the  North  Cork 
militia,  and  Mr.  Cloney  arrived  about  two  hours  after 
Captain  M'Manus  and  myself  in  Enniscorthy.  They, 
having  taken  the  road  direct  from  Wexford,  met  the 
main  body  of  the  insurgents  on  their  retreat ;    and 


IRISH  REBELLION.  283 

the  several  chiefs,  having  first  read  the  dispatches 
and  proposal,  permitted  tiien:i  to  be  forwarded  with- 
out fiirllier  interruption ;  they  were  not  sealed,  to 
obviate  the  danger  such  a  step  might  occasion. 

Captain  Bourke,  of  the  North  Cork  mihtia,  and 
Mr.  Robert  Carty  proceeded  to  Taghmon,  and  de- 
livered their  proposal  and  dispatches  to  General 
Moore,  who  had  already  begun  his  march,  which  he 
pursued  for  a  mile  beyond  Taghmon,  when  he  halted 
on  perceiving  a  great  concourse  of  people  on  the 
mountain  of  Forth.  He  then  sent  back  Mr.  Carty  to 
Lord^Kingsborough,  with  directions  to  return  to  him 
with  further  accounts  of  the  state  of  the  countr}^,  and 
new  dispatches.  The  insurgents,  on  their  defeat  at 
Enniscorthy  and  Vinegar  Hill,  retreated  along  the 
eastern  bank  of  the  Slaney,  over  Carrig-bridge,  and 
so  on  to  the  Three  Rocks,  on  the  mountain  of  Forth, 
where  they  were  now  observed  by  Genera]  Moore, 
and  so  occasioned  Mr.  Carty's  return  to  Wexford  for 
further  information.  On  the  arrival  of  the  insurgents 
at  the  station  of  the  Three  Rocks,  several  discus- 
sions took  place  relative  to  the  proposals  for  the  sur- 
render of  the  town  of  Wexford,  into  which  they  could 
not  finally  be  restrained  from  coming.  Among  those 
who  thus  hastily  rushed  into  the  town,  there  were 
some  turbulent  spirits,  a  circumstance  unavoidable 
on  such  occasions,  and  in  such  an  assemblage. 
These,  apprehensive  of  their  situations,  exerted  ev- 
ery means  in  their  power  to  prevent  an  accommoda- 
tion, although  earnestly  wished  for  by  all  the  chiefs 
as  well  as  by  the  great  body  of  the  people.  Lord 
Kingsborough,  after  he  had  assumed  the  military 
command  of  the  town,  went  to  the  house  of  Mr. 
Meyler,  where  he  was  when  this  concourse  of  peo- 
ple arrived,  and  they  insisted  that  his  lordship  and 
the  other  officers  should  come  out  to  their  Ccimp,  in 


HISTORY  OF  THE 

order,  as  they  said,  to  procure  the  like  terms  for 
themselves  as  for  the  inhabitants  of  Wexford.  His 
lordship  and  the  officers  should  certainly  have  gone 
out  to  camp  on  this  occasion,  but  for  the  interference 
of  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  who  dissuaded  them  from  consent- 
ing to  a  measure  that  would  endanger  the  lives  of 
the  prisoners  should  they  leave  the  town.  The  prin- 
cipal inhabitants  had  before  determined  to  march  out 
with  them,  in  order  to  protect  them  from  any  violence 
that  might  be  attempted  against  them  ;  and  their 
united  efforts,  assisted  by  the  timely  interposition  of 
the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Caulfield,  the  Roman  Catliolic 
bishop  of  Ferns,  prevented  any  further  urgency. 
The  people  were  addressed  from  the  windows  of  the 
house,  in  which  an  assembly  took  place  for  the  pur- 
pose of  devising  the  best  means  of  preventing  mis- 
chief and  irregularity  :  the  people  were  entreated 
and  supplicated  to  desist  from  their  intentions,  as 
Lord  Kingsborough  had  given  the  most  solemn  as- 
surances that  they  should  have  as  good  terms  as  he 
had  promised  the  inhabitants  of  Wexford  ;  and  he 
moreover  advised  them  to  go  to  their  camp,  and  not 
to  lay  down  their  arms  until  these  terms  would  be 
perfectly  secured. 

It  w^as  Lord  Kingsborough's  own  proposal,  that 
the  insurgents  should  remain  encamped  at  Three 
Rocks  until  they  would  secure  the  same  terms  with 
the  inhabitants  of  Wexford,  which  it  was  naturally 
supposed  would  be  ralified ;  and  it  is  nuicli  to  be 
lamented  that  they  did  not  return  thither,  as  from  the 
commanding  situation  of  the  Three  Rocks  it  would 
be  very  difficult  to  dislodge  them  ;  besides,  by  se- 
curing the  pass  at  Carrig-bridge,  the  Slaney  would 
have  formed  a  very  strong  barrier  against  the  ap- 
proach of  the  forces  coming  from  Enniscorthy;  and 
the.  insurgents  would  by  these  means  have  appeared 


IRISH  REBELLION.  285 

SO  formidable  as  to  induce  tlie  granting  of  the  terms 
demanded,  and  which  good  policy  so  strongly  dic- 
tated. This  would  have  put  an  end  to  any  further 
disturbance,  and  peace  would  have  been  immediate- 
ly restored  ;  nor  would  the  desolation  which  after- 
wards disfigured  the  country  at  all  have  taken  place; 
and  the  lives  of  many  sacrificed  to  the  fury  of  the 
times  would  have  been  secured  ;  while  it  would  have 
ensured  the  certain  punishment  of  all  murderers  and 
assassins,  many  of  whom,  by  the  conduct  that  was 
pursued,  escaped  the  end  so  justly  due  to  their  enor- 
mous crimes.  The  amnesty  bill  afterwards  secured 
the  greatest  part  of  the  benefits  claimed  by  the  pro- 
posals, with  the  exception  of  officers,  who,  if  they 
had  not  relied  on  the  granting  of  these  terms,  would 
not  have  remained  in  Wexford,  but  would  have  pro- 
ceeded with  the  insurgents,  and  so  have  saved  their 
lives  and  properties  as  well  as  others  who  fought 
their  way,  and  at  length  obtained  favorable  terms  : 
so  that  all  the  evil  consequences  that  ensued  are  at- 
tributable to  the  impolicy  of  refusing  the  proposed 
terms,  which,  it  is  to  be  presumed,  had  there  been  a 
possibility  of  obtaining  Lord  Cornwallis's  senti- 
ments, would  have  been  readily  complied  with  ;  but 
unfortunately  for  the  county  of  Wexford,  he  had 
landed  in  Ireland  but  the  day  before,  and  his  system 
could  not  be  sent  forward  to  counteract  that  which 
existed  before  his  arrival. 

Captain  John  Murph}'-,  whose  humanity  had  been 
so  conspicuous  with  his  gunsmen  on  Vinegar  Hill, 
was  now  posted  on  the  jail  for  the  protection  of  the 
prisoners  from  the  infernal  fury  of  Captain  Dixon, 
who  wished  to  renew  the  diabolical  cruellies  he  had 
been  unfortunately  able  to  put  in  execution  the  day 
before,  in  the  absence  of  the  inhabitants  of  Wexford, 
who  were  now  returned,  and  determined  to  protect 


286  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  remaining  prisoners  at  the  risk  of  their  own  lives. 
This  they  were  happily  able  to  effect,  as  the  murder- 
ers were  too  cowardly  to  attempt  any  thing  that  por- 
tended danger  to  themselves.  No  one  was  therefore 
put  to  death  on  this  day,  but  Ensign  Harman,  of  tlie 
North  Cork  militia,  who  was  going  out  with  Mr. 
Carty,  to  General  Moore,  to  whom  they  were  now 
proceeding  on  a  second  mission,  with  fresh  dispatches 
from  Lord  Kingsborough.  They  had  but  just  got 
outside  the  town,  when  they  were  unfortunately  met 
by  a  furious  maniac,  named  Timothy  Whelan,  who 
instantly  shot  Ensign  Harman,  and  snapped  a  pistol 
at  Mr.  Carty,  who  then  thought  it  prudent  to  return, 
thus  narrowly  escaping  with  his  life.  This  ruffian 
afterwards  had  the  audacity  to  attempt  the  life  of 
Lord  Kingsborough,  in  order  to  put  an  end  at  once 
to  all  accommodation,  not  meeting  with  his  approba- 
tion ;  he  would  have  been  ordered  for  instant  execu- 
tion by  the  chiefs,  but  for  fear  of  irritating  the 
great  body  of  the  populace,  too  ready,  on  such  occa- 
sions and  in  such  turbid  times,  to  mistake  desperacy 
for  heroism,  and  to  attempt  the  most  violent  deeds 
themselves  if  thwarted  in  their  inclinations,  or  by 
meddhnsj  with  their  favorites. 

The  insurgents  were  at  length  prevailed  on,  by  the 
incessant  entreaties  and  exertions  of  their  chiefs,  to 
quit  the  town  of  Wexford.  They  now  divided  them- 
selves into  two  bodies  :  the  one  under  the  command 
of  the  Rev.  Philip  Roche  marched  into  the  barony 
of  Forth,  and  encamped  that  night  at  Sledagh  ;  the 
other,  under  the  conduct  of  Messrs.  Fitzgerald,  Perry, 
and  Edward  Roche,  proceeded  over  the  bridge  to 
Peppard's  castle,  where  they  took  their  station  for 
that  night. 

General  Moore,  although  he  had  orders  not  to  pro- 
ceed farther   than  Taghmon   on  that  day,  that  he 


IRISH   REBELLION.  287 

might  co-operate,  on  the  21st,  in  the  general  attack 
on  Wexford  ;  yet  from  the  present  complexion  of 
affairs,  advanced  towards  that  town,  having  perceived 
the  departure  of  the  people  from  the  Three  Rocks ; 
and  having  been  also  informed,  by  Captain  Bourke, 
of  the  peaceable  disposition  of  the  Wexford  people. 
Concerning  the  latter  circumstance,  Captain  Boyd 
(now  returning  home  in  General  Moore's  train)  very 
prudently  made  many  cautious  and  strict  inquiries, 
requiring  several  assurances  of  the  fact,  from  Cap- 
tain Bourke,  who  had  been  sent  out  in  that  direction 
from  Wexford ;  in  addition  to  which  he  could  him- 
self, from  the  commanding  elevation  of  the  road  he 
took,  observe  the  retreat  of  the  insurgents  over  the 
bridge,  before  he  ventured  into  the  town,  which,  af- 
ter the  most  minute  circumspection,  he  at  length  en- 
tered, attended  by  some  yeomen,  almost  with  as 
much  precipitancy  as  he  had  formerly  abandoned  it. 
Some  straggling  wretches  of  country  people  were 
put  to  death  on  this  triumphant  occasion.  All  the 
green  ornaments  that  had  been  so  conspicuously  ex- 
hibited hitherto,  were  now  torn  down  ;  and  some  per- 
sons, who  but  the  moment  before  appeared  anxious 
to  demonstrate  their  friendship  for  the  people,  changed 
sides  as  quick  as  lightning,  and  endeavored  to  exhibit 
every  symptom  of  loyalty.  General  Moore,  on  con- 
sultation with  Lord  Kingsborough,  thought  it  most 
advisable  not  to  let  his  troops  into  the  town,  which  it 
had  been  determined  to  annihilate  previous  to  the 
negotiation,  and  in  consequence  of  this  circumstance, 
of  which  the  army  was  perfectly  aware,  it  required 
the  utmost  precaution  to  prevent  its  being  plundered, 
sacked,  and  destroyed,  with  the  attendant  atrocities. 
The  town's-people  now  felt  the  utmost  anxiety  at  not 
receiving  any  answer  either  to  their  own  proposal  or 
Lord  Kmgsborough's  dispatcheSj  and  as  even  those 


288  HISTORY  OF  THE 

which  had  been  forwarded  to  General  Moore  himself, 
he  had  sent  off,  requesting  further  orders  from  Gen- 
eral Lake.  General  I\Ioore  now  look  his  station  on 
the  Windmill  hills,  taking  every  precaution,  and  hav- 
ing the  advantage  of  a  large  park  of  artillery  ;  while 
the  situation  itself  completely  commanded  the  town  of 
Wexford.  The  Chapman  sloop  of  war,  commanded 
by  Captain  Keen,  took  her  station  outside  the  har- 
bor, too  shallow  for  her  to  enter,  and  three  gun-boats 
were  sent  to  attack  the  fort  of  Roslare,  which  was 
previously  abandoned,  and  therefore  they  thence  pro- 
ceeded opposite  the  town,  completely  commanding 
the  wooden  bridge  and  adjacent  strand  ;  so  that 
Wexford  was  now  thoroughly  invested  both  by  land 
and  water.  On  the  approach  of  the  army,  too,  all 
the  wounded  men  in  the  hospital  were  put  to  the 
sword,  and  some  of  the  straggling  inhabitants  lost 
their  lives,  notwithstanding  the  express  orders  of 
General  Moore,  that  no  kind  of  excess  should  be 
committed. 

At  three  o'clock,  a.  m.,  of  the  22d,  the  trumpet 
sounded  for  the  army  to  march  from  Enniscorthy, 
and  every  one  was  on  foot  as  soon  as  possible. 
Shortly  after.  Captain  M'Manus  and  myself,  as  well 
as  Captain  O'Hea  and  Mr.  Cloney,  were  required  to 
wait  on  General  Lake,  who  delivered  me  his  answer 
to  the  proposal  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of 
Wexford,  and  desired  me  to  read  it.  It  was  as  fol- 
lows: — 

"  Lieutenant-general  Lake  cannot  attend  to  any 
terms  by  rebels  in  arms  against  their  sovereign  : 
w4nle  they  continue  so,  he  must  use  the  force  in- 
trusted to  him  with  the  utmost  energy  for  their  de- 
struction. To  the  deluded  multitude  he  promises 
pardon  on  their  delivering  into  his  hands  their  lead- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  289 

ers,  surrendering  their  arms,  and  returning  with  sin- 
cerity to  their  allegiance. 

"  Signed,  G.  Lake. 

"  Entiiscorthy,  June  22d,  1798." 

On  reading  this  I  expressed  m}^  fears  that  such  an 
answer  would  not  be  pleasing  to  ihe  people  of  Wex- 
ford, as  it  did  not  ratify  the  terms  solemnly  promised 
by  Lord  Kingsborough  ;  but  General  Lake  would 
not  allow  further  explanation  on  the  subject,  as  he 
declared  he  would  not  confirm  any  promise  made  by 
Lord  Kingsborough,  to  whose  dispatches  he  would 
not  even  return  any  answer.  He  then  ordered  that 
I  should  be  conducted  by  an  officer,  whom  he  named, 
to  the  head  of  the  army,  whence  I  was  to  proceed  to 
Wexford,  and  thence  to  return  to  him,  with  all  con- 
venient speed,  with  the  determinalion  of  the  inhabit- 
ants, as  he  mentioned  he  would  not  discontinue  the 
march  of  the  troops  ;  and  that  if  any  fatality  should 
happen  to  Lord  Kingsborough,  or  any  of  the  prison- 
ers, nothing  should  dissuade  him  from  his  original 
intention  of  annihilating  the  town.  I  was  also  warn- 
ed by  him,  on  pain  of  death,  to  return  to  him  with  a 
positive  answer,  and  to  bring  Lord  Kingsborough 
along  with  me  ;  and  if  on  my  approach  to  Wexford, 
I  should  not  think  it  safe  for  the  officer  accompany- 
ing me  to  so  into  the  town,  I  should  return  with  that 
information  immediately ;  and  that  if  any  thing  should 
happen  to  the  officer  or  to  me,  in  consequence  of 
having  brought  the  dispatches  and  proposal,  the  town 
of  Wexford  was  not  to  be  spared.  I  was  then  ques- 
tioned about  the  state  of  the  country,  the  bridges, 
roads,  and  the  like  ;  and  General  Lake  finding  upon 
inquiry  what  road  I  was  to  take,  that  I  should  not 
want  an  escort  until  I  would  reach  General  Need- 
ham's  division,  encamped  at  Ballenkeele,  he  sent  or- 
25 


290  HISTORY  OF  THE 

ders  to  him  by  me,  to  furnish  me  with  any  escort  I 
might  require,  to  conduct  me  safe  to  Wexford.  Cap- 
tain O'Hea  and  I  were  then  led  to  tlie  head  of  the 
army  by  a  general  officer,  and  we  set  off  with  all 
expedition,  to  avoid  as  much  as  possible  the  horrid 
spectacle  of  the  dead  bodies  of  men  and  women 
strewed  along  the  roads  and  over  the  adjacent  fields: 
some  bearing  marks  of  the  most  savage  and  indecent 
cruelty  ;  some  with  their  bowels  ripped  open,  and 
others  with  their  brains  dashed  out — situations  which 
they  did  not  at  all  exhibit  the  day  before,  when  I  saw 
them  lying  dead  on  my  way  to  Enniscorthy  !  !  ! 

On  delivering  my  orders  to  General  Needham, 
while  the  escort  was  getting  ready  I  was  surrounded 
by  several  officers  and  yeomen  who  expressed  like 
savage  sentiments  with  those  I  heard  the  day  before 
at  Enniscorlhy ;  and  I  was  truly  astonished  to  hear 
men  of  such  rank  and  education  as  they  were  making 
use  of  such  language.  Some,  however,  expressed 
anxiety  tempered  with  humanity.  The  escort  being 
got  ready,  consisting  of  a  troop  of  the  Ancient  Brit- 
ons, and  a  trumpeter,  commanded  by  Captain  Wynne, 
we  set  off,  and  could  learn  nothing  along  the  road  but 
the  mournful  lamentations  of  women,  the  country 
having  been  abandoned  by  the  men  !  When  we  ar- 
rived near  Castle-bridge,  I  proceeded  for  some  dis- 
tance by  myself  to  reconnoitre,  and  perceiving  no  in- 
terruption, I  called  on  the  escort  to  come  on ;  and 
when  we  came  in  sight  of  Wexford,  the  trumpet  was 
sounded,  and  I  hoisted  a  white  handkerchief  to  an- 
nounce our  arrival ;  but  we  did  not  learn  that  the 
town  had  surrendered  to  General  Moore,  until  we 
arrived  at  Ferry-bank  adjoining  the  wooden  bridge. 
As  this  was  not  as  yet  passable  for  horses,  as  the 
loose  planks  that  had  been  laid  on  where  the  flooring 
was  burned  were  thrown  off  on  the  retreat  of  the  in- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  291 

surgents,  Captain  Wynne  and  I  proceeded  on  foot 
as  far  as  the  portcullis,  which  had  been  hoisted  since 
the  preceding  evening.  We  were  therefore  detained 
for  half  an  hour,  till  orders  were  given  to  let  it  down. 
During  the  time  that  we  were  thus  detained,  I  saw 
the  prison-ship  and  several  other  vessels  set  on  fire  ; 
many  more  were  afterwards  burned ;  and  all  the 
ships  in  the  harbor  that  were  not  consumed  were  so 
far  considered  as  prizes  taken  from  the  insurgents, 
that  the  owners  were  obliged  to  pay  salvage  !  When 
the  drawbridge  was  let  down,  we  waited  on  Lord 
Kingsborough,  to  whom  I  made  known  tiie  orders  I 
had  to  brintr  him  out  to  General  Lake  ;  but  he  de- 
clared  he  could  not  possibly  comply,  as  he  had  been 
appointed  by  General  Moore  to  command  in  the 
town.  He,  ho^vever,  wrote  a  letter,  excusing  his  at- 
tendance ;  and  on  receipt  of  this,  I  set  off  w^ith  Cap- 
tain Wynne  and  his  troop  of  horse,  wdiich  had  by 
ihis  time  crossed  the  bridge,  in  order  to  return  to 
General  Lake  ;  and  we  met  him  a  little  outside  the 
town,  as,  on  hearing  what  had  happened,  he  moved 
forward  with  all  expedition  ;  and  on  delivering  him 
Lord  Kingsborough's  letter,  we  formed  part  of  his 
suite  on  his  entrance  into  Wexford.  The  preserva- 
tion of  this  town  may,  indeed,  be  recorded  as  a  won- 
derful event,  as  its  destruction  seemed  as  determined 
as  that  of  Nineveh  ;  and  yet  its  state,  then  and  now, 
bearing  so  few  marks  of  depredation  or  direption  of 
any  kind,  is  a  circumstance  that  has  surprised  all 
who  have  visited  it  since,  and  who  observed  the  des- 
olation that  prevailed  in  all  other  directions  where 
disturbances  had  existed. 

Relying  on  the  faith  of  Lord  Kingsborough's  prom- 
ises of  complete  protection  of  persons  and  properties, 
several  remained  in  the  town  of  Wexford,  uncon- 
scious of  any  reason  to  apprehend  danger  ;   but  they 


292  HISTORY  OF  THE 

were  soon  taken  up  and  committed  to  jail.  The 
Rev.  Philip  Roche  had  such  confidence  in  these  as- 
surances, and  was  so  certain  of  obtaining  similar 
terms  for  those  under  his  command,  that  he  left  his 
force  at  Sledagh,  in  full  hopes  of  being  permitted  to 
return  in  peace  to  their  homes,  and  was  on  his  way 
to  Wexford  unarmed,  coming,  as  he  thought,  to  re- 
ceive a  confirmation  of  the  conditions,  and  so  little 
apprehensive  of  danger,  that  he  advanced  within  the 
hnes  before  he  was  recognised,  when  all  possibility 
of  escape  was  at  an  end.  He  was  instantly  dragged 
from  his  horse,  and  in  the  most  ignominious  manner 
taken  up  to  the  camp  on  the  Windmill  hills,  pulled 
by  the  hair,  kicked,  buffeted,  and  at  length  hauled 
down  to  the  jail  in  such  a  condition  as  scarcely  to  be 
known.  The  people  whom  he  had  left  in  expecta- 
tion of  being  permitted  to  return  quietly  home,  wailed 
his  arrival  ;  but  at  last  being  informed  of  his  fale, 
they  abandoned  all  idea  of  peace,  and  set  off  under 
the  command  of  the  Rev.  John  Murphy  to  Fooks's- 
mill,  and  so  on,  through  Scollagh-gap,  into  the  coun- 
ty of  Carlow. 

From  the  encampment  at  Ballenkeele,  commanded 
by  General  Needham,  detachments  were  sent  out  to 
scour  the  country.  They  burned  the  Catholic  chap- 
el of  Ballemurrin,  situate  on  the  demesne  of  Ballen- 
keele, on  which  they  were  encamped,  besides  several 
houses  in  the  neighborhood.  The  principal  of  these 
was  that  of  Newpark,  the  seat  of  Mr.  Fitzgerald  ; 
which,  along  with  all  the  out-offices,  haggard  of  corn, 
by  far  the  largest  in  the  county  of  WVxford,  a  malt- 
house  containing  fifteen  hundred  barrels  of  m.alt,  and 
a  thousand  barrels  of  barley,  were  entirely  con- 
sumed ;  as  were  also  the  house,  offices,  and  malt- 
house,  containing  a  thousand  barrels  of  malt,  at  Bal- 
limore,  belonging  to  Mr.  Edmund  Stafford,  mistaken, 


IRISH  REBELLION.  293 

as  I  have  been  informed,  for  the  dwelling  and  prop- 
erty of  General  Edward  Roche  ;  besides  a  great 
number  of  houses  of  inferior  note.  In  short,  death 
and  desolation  were  spread  throughout  the  country, 
which  was  searched  and  hunted  so  that  scarcely  a 
man  escaped ;  and  the  old,  who  were  feeble  and  de- 
crepit with  age,  and  who  could  not  therefore  easily 
move  out  of  the  way,  as  well  as  the  idiots  or  fools, 
were  the  victims  on  this  occasion  ;  as  almost  all  such 
as  had  the  use  of  their  limbs  and  intellects  had  pre- 
viously made  off  with  the  main  body  of  the  people. 
The  dead  bodies  were  to  be  seen  scattered  about, 
with  their  throats  cut  across  and  mangled  in  the  most 
shocking  manner.  It  is  scarcely  possible  to  describe 
all  the  horrors  and  devastations  that  took  place,  as 
ail  the  atrocities  of  war  were  most  wofully  exhibited. 
The  fair  sex  became  the  prey  of  the  lustful  soldiery; 
and  female  beauty,  which  at  all  other  times  may  be 
considered  a  blessing,  now  became  a  curse,  as  women 
paid  dearly  for  their  personal  charms,  which  failed 
not  to  augment  the  general  brutality  of  these  odious 
and  detestable  deeds  !  What  must  be  the  pangs  of 
a  mother  on  seeing  her  beloved  favorite  child  dragged 
from  her  by  the  ruffian  hands  of  an  unfeeling  mon- 
ster, glorying  in  his  barbarity,  and  considering  his 
crime  meritorious  in  proportion  to  its  enormity  ; 
spreading  death  and  disease  to  the  utmost  extent  of 
his  depraved  capacity  !  The  Hompesch  dragoons 
are  held  in  peculiar  remembrance  on  this  occasion. 
Indeed,  the  ferocity  of  the  soldiery  in  general  was 
such  at  this  period,  that  the  women  and  children 
through  the  country  even  now  are  worked  up  to  the 
highest  pitch  of  horror  at  the  sight  of  a  military  man, 
as  bringing  to  iheir  recollection  all  the  barbarous 
scenes  of  which  they  had  been  formerly  witnesses  ! 
Notwithstanding  the  abominations  of  the  vilest  of 
25* 


294  HISTORY  OF  THE 

pikemen,  it  is  a  well-established  fact,  that  during  the 
period  of  their  uncontrollable  sway,  no  female,  not 
even  one  of  the  wives  or  daughters  of  those  whom 
they  considered  their  greatest  enemies,  ever  suffered 
any  kind  of  violation  from  them  ;  and  their  general 
respect  for  the  sex  is  as  true  as  it  is  wonderful  ;  and 
their  forbearance  in  this  particular  is  as  remarkably 
civilized  as  the  conduct  of  the  troops  was  savage, 
sparing  neither  friend  nor  foe  in  their  indiscriminate 
and  licentious  brutality. 

The  northern  part  of  the  county  of  Wexford  had 
been  almost  totally  deserted  by  all  the  male  inhabit- 
ants on  the  19th,  at  the  approach  of  the  army  under 
General  Needham.  Some  of  the  yeomanry,  who 
formerly  deserted  it,  returned  to  Gorey  on  the  21st, 
and  finding  no  officer  of  the  army,  as  was  expected, 
to  command  there,  they,  with  many  others  who  re- 
turned along  with  them,  scoured  the  country  round, 
and  killed  great  numbers  in  their  houses,  besides  all 
the  stragglers  they  met,  most  of  whom  were  making 
the  best  of  their  way  home  unarmed  from  the  insur- 
gents, who  were  then  believed  to  be  totally  discom- 
fited. These  transactions  being  made  known  to  the 
great  body  of  the  insurgents  encamped  at  Peppard's 
Castle  on  the  22d,  they  resolved  to  retaliate,  and  di- 
rectly marched  for  Gorey,  whither  they  had  otherwise 
no  mtention  of  proceeding.  The  yeomen  and  their  asso- 
ciates, whose  conduct  had  been  so  conspicuous  on  the 
day  before,  made  some  show  of  resistance,  having  pro- 
ceeded some  little  distance  outside  the  town  as  it  were 
boldly  to  meetthe  force  coming  against  them ;  butupon 
the  near  approach  of  the  insurgents,  they  fled  back 
with  the  utmost  precipitation  ;  and  thence,  accompa- 
nied by  a  great  many  others,  hastened  towards  Ark- 
low,  but  were  pursued  as  far  as  Coolgreny,  with  the 
loss  of  forty-seven  men.  The  insurgents  had  been  ex- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  295 

asperated  to  this  vengeance  by  discovering  through  the 
country  as  they  came  along,  several  dead  men  with 
their  skulls  split  asunder,  their  bowels  -ripped  open, 
and  their  throats  cut  across,  besides  some  dead  wo- 
men and  children  :  they  even  met  the  dead  bodies  of 
two  women,  about  which  the  surviving  children  were 
creeping,  and  bewailing  them,  poor  innocents  !  with 
piteous  cries  !  These  sights  hastened  the  insurgent 
force  to  Gore}^  where  their  exasperation  was  con- 
siderably augmented  by  discovering  the  bodies  of 
nine  men,  who  had  been  hanged  the  day  before,  be- 
ing devoured  by  pigs  in  the  streets,  others  recently 
shot,  and  some  still  expiring. 

After  the  return  of  the  insurgents  from  the  pursuit, 
several  persons  were  found  lurking  in  the  town  and 
brought  before  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  particularly  Mr.  Pip- 
pard,  sovereign  of  Gorey  ;  but  from  this  gentleman's 
age  and  respectability,  he  was  considered  incapable 
of  being  accessary  to  the  perpetration  of  the  horrid 
cruelty  which  provoked  and  prompted  this  sudden 
revenge,  and  he  and  others  were  saved,  protected, 
and  set  at  liberty.  At  this  critical  time  the  news  of 
the  burning  of  Mr.  Fitzgerald's  house,  haggard,  and 
malthouses,  by  which  he  lost  several  thousand 
pounds,  arrived ;  and,  had  the  smallest  seed  of  ran- 
cor or  cruelty  existed  in  the  mind  of  such  a  sufferer, 
he  might  have  so  far  felt  it  on  this  occasion  as  not  to 
restrain  the  insurgents  from  exterminating  Gorey, 
which  they  were  loudly  proclaiming  as  a  just  retalia- 
tion for  the  devastation  committed  on  so  great  a  fa- 
vorite of  the  people.  The  magnanimity  and  forbear- 
ance of  Mr..  Fitzgerald  at  so  trying  a  crisis  are  truly 
remarkable,  as,  forgetful  of  such  great  personal  in- 
jury, he  exerted  his  utmost  endeavors  to  restrain  the 
insurgents,  vociferating  vengeance  for  his  wrongs, 
and    succeeded   in   leading  them  off  from   Gorey ; 


29Q  HISTORY  OF  THE 

when  after  a  slight  repast,  they  resumed  their  intend- 
ed route,  rested  that  night  at  the  White-heaps  on 
Croghan  mountain,  and  on  the  23d  set  off  for  the 
mountains  of  Wicklow. 

General  Lake  with  some  other  general  officers  re- 
mained for  some  time  in  Wexford.  The  jail  of  this 
town  was  now  immensely  crowded,  as  almost  every 
one  of  the  principal  inhabitants  were  taken  up  and 
arraigned  for  treason.  Many  of  them,  however, 
were  acquitted  upon  trial,  which  was  by  court-mar- 
tial, and  the  greater  number  received  protections,  ac- 
cording to  Lord  Cornwallis's  proclamation.  Captain 
Keugh  had  remained  at  Lord  Kingsborough's  lodg- 
ings, and  after  the  surrender  of  the  town  two  senti- 
nels were  placed  over  him  there  for  two  days,  when 
he  was  removed  to  the  jail.  Mr.  Cornelius  Grogan 
was  taken  at  his  seat  in  Johnstown,  where  he  had 
remained,  unconscious  of  any  danger  until  conducted 
to  prison.  Mr.  Bagnal  Harvey  had  gone  to  his  resi- 
dence at  Bargy  Castle,  having  no  conception  that  the 
terms  agreed  upon  with  Lord  Kingsborough  would 
not  be  ratified.  Indeed,  so  confident  was  he  of  the 
contrary,  that  he  sent  some  fat  cattle  into  Wexford 
for  the  use  of  the  army  ;  but  learning  from  the  mes- 
senger who  drove  them  thither,  that  no  conditions 
whatever  would  be  obtained,  he  hastened  with  the 
fatal  news  to  Mr.  Colclough.  This  gentleman  had 
previously  taken  his  wife  and  child  to  one  of  the 
Saltee  islands,  where  he  thought  to  have  weathered 
out  the  storm  of  the  angry  time  in  a  cave,  into  which 
he  had  gone  for  concealment.  Thither  Mr.  Harvey 
now  also  resorted  ;  but  they  were  all  soon  discover- 
ed, and  the  news  of  their  being  taken  arrived  in 
Wexford  while  they  were  being  conveyed  round  to 
the  harbor  in  a  boat.  This  attracted  a  great  num- 
ber of  the  people  to  the  quay,  curious  to  see  them 


IRISH  REBELLION.  297 

brought  in,  and  amidst  this  concourse  Mr.  Harvey 
and  5lr.  Colclough  and  his  lady  were  landed.  The 
gentlemen  were  then  led  through  the  gazing  multi- 
tude to  tlie  jail,  where  they  w^ere  confined  in  the  con- 
demned cells. 

A  court-martial  was  instituted  for  the  trial  of  pris- 
oners on  charges  of  treason.  The  Rev.  Philip 
Roche  was  the  first  tried  and  condemned  by  this  tri- 
bunal. Captain  Keugh  was  the  next  put  on  his  trial, 
at  w^iich  he  made  a  very  able  defence  ;  but  was  also 
condemned.  The  entrance  of  the  wooden  bridge 
was  the  scene  fixed  on  for  the  place  of  execution. 
The  sufferers  were  hauled  up  with  pulleys,  made 
fast  with  ropes  to  an  ornamental  iron  arch,  intended 
for  lamps,  and  springing  from  the  two  wooden  piers 
of  the  gate  next  the  town.  The  large  stature  of  the 
Rev.  Philip  Roche  caused  the  first  rope  he  was 
hauled  up  w^ith  to  break  ;  but  another  was  soon  pro- 
cured, and  his  life  was  ended  with  double  torture. 
The  head  of  Captain  Keugh,  who  suffered  along  with 
him,  was  separated  from  his  body,  and  conspicuously 
placed  on  a  pike  over  the  front  of  the  court-house. 
Their  bodies,  together  with  those  of  others  executed 
at  the  same  time,  were  stripped,  and  treated  with  the 
utmost  brutality  and  indecency,  previous  to  their  be- 
ing thrown  over  the  bridge. 

Mr.  Grogan  was  brought  to  trial  on  the  26lh,  but 
the  evidence  which  he  hoped  to  obtain  of  his  inno- 
cence did  not  attend,  on  account  of  the  general  ap- 
prehension that  prevailed.  His  trial  was  therefore 
postponed,  and  he  was  remanded  to  jail.  Mr.  Har- 
vey was  then  put  on  his  trial,  which  lasted  for  the 
best  part  of  the  day,  and  ended  in  his  condemnation. 
Mr.  Grogan's  trial  was  then  resumed ;  but  this  he 
did  not  expect  until  the  next  day,  and  consequently 
he  had  not  been  able  to  procure  all  the  necessary 


298  HISTORY  OF  THE 

evidence.  It  was  indeed  proved  that  he  was  forced 
to  join  the  insurgents,  but  this  did  not  prevent  a  sen- 
tence of  his  conviction  :  such  was  the  idea  entertain- 
ed at  the  time  of  the  necessity  of  pubhc  example  ! 
The  condemnation  of  these  gentlemen  was  after- 
wards confirmed  by  the  Irish  parliament,  which  pass- 
ed an  act  of  attainder  against  them,  and  a  confisca- 
tion of  their  properties  ;  notwithstanding  that,  on 
parliamentary  inquiry  into  the  merits  of  the  proceed- 
ings, it  was  clearly  proved  that  the  court-martial 
had  not  been  even  sworn  :  so  that  although  their 
condemnation  and  the  confiscation  of  their  properties 
be  sanctioned  by  law,  yet  the  justice  of  the  process 
is  very  questionable,  and  the  investigation  of  it  will 
employ  the  pens  of  future  historians,  particularly  in 
the  case  of  Mr.  Grogan,  who  was  undoubtedly  sacri- 
ficed to  the  temper  of  the  times.  On  the  27th, 
Messrs.  Harvey,  Grogan,  and  Patrick  Prendergast, 
a  rich  maltster  in  Wexford,  were  ordered  out  to  exe- 
cution. When  Mr.  Harvey  was  brought  out  of  his 
cell  he  met  Mr.  Grogan  in  the  jail-yard,  and  accosted 
him  in  a  feeling,  affectionate  manner  :  while  shaking 
hands  with  him  he  said,  in  the  presence  of  an  officer 
and  some  of  the  guards,  and  in  the  hearing  of  sever- 
al prisoners  who  had  crowded  to  the  windows,  "  Ah ! 
poor  Grogan,  3'ou  die  an  innocent  man  at  all  events  !" 
They  were  then  conducted  to  the  bridge,  w^here  they 
were  hanged,  when  the  heads  of  Messrs.  Grogan  and 
Harvey  were  cut  oflf  and  placed  upon  pikes  on  each 
side  of  that  of  Captain  Keiigh  ;  while  their  bodies 
and  that  of  Mr.  Prendergast  were  stripped  and  treated 
with  the  utmost  brutal  indecencies,  before  being  cast 
over  the  bridge  !  Mr.  Colclough  was  brought  out  to 
trial  on  the  same  day,  and  condemned.  On  the  next 
day  he  was  executed,  but  his  body,  at  the  interces- 
sion of  his  lady,  was  given  up  to  her  to  be  interred. 


imSH  REBELLION.  299 

Mr.  John  Kelly,  of  Killan,  whose  courage  and  intre- 
pidity had  been  so  conspicuous  at  the  battle  of  Ross, 
now  lay  ill  in  Wexford,  of  a  wound  which  he  had 
received  in  that  engagement :  he  was  taken  prisoner 
from  his  bed,  tried  and  condemned  to  die,  and  brought 
on  a  car  to  the  place  of  execution.  His  head  was 
cut  off,  and  his  body,  after  the  accustomed  indigni- 
ties, was  thrown  over  the  bridge.  The  head,  how- 
ever, was  reserved  for  other  exhibition.  It  was  first 
kicked  about  on  the  Custom-house  quay,  and  then 
brought  up  into  the  town,  thrown  up  and  treated  in 
the  same  manner  opposite  the  house  in  which  his  sis- 
ter lodged,  in  order  that  she  might  view  this  new^  and 
«avage  game  of  foot-ball,  of  which  when  the  players 
were  tired,  the  head  was  placed  in  the  exalted  situa- 
tion to  which  it  had  been  condemned — above  that  of 
Captain  Keugh,  over  the  door  of  the  court-house. 

On  the  28th,  General  Lake  quitted  Wexford,  leav- 
ing the  command  there  to  General  Hunter,  whose 
conduct  must  ever  be  remembered  with  gratitude  by 
the  people,  as,  on  several  occasions,  he  checked  the 
persecuting  spirit  of  the  gentiy  and  yeomanry ;  and 
this  contributed  much  more  than  severity,  or  any 
other  mode  could  possibly  do,  to  induce  the  people 
to  surrender  their  arms,  take  out  protections,  and  re- 
turn to  their  homes  in  peace.  This  desirable  object 
would  not  have  been  so  happily  accomplished  had 
he  not  interposed  his  authority  so  far  as  to  threaten 
some  gentlemen  with  punishment,  whose  habitual 
zeal  and  mode  of  keeping  the  country  quiet,  he  to- 
tally disapproved  of,  as  he  did  not  wish  to  see  the 
people  again  roused  by  the  continuance  of  their  ex- 
ertions. Brigadier-general  Grose  was  stationed,  un- 
der the  command  of  General  Hunter,  at  Enniscorthy, 
where  he  was  distinguished  for  his  pacific  conduct. 
The  first  and  Coldstream  regiments  of  guards  were 


300  HISTORY  OF  THE 

providentially  placed  in  Ross,  under  the  command 
of  General  Gascoigne,  and  their  conduct  there  must 
be  ever  recorded  to  their  immortal  honor,  as  exhibit- 
ing true  principles  of  justice  and  philanthropy — step- 
ping in  between  the  people  and  their  oppressors,  who 
were  not  only  restrained  in  their  career  of  persecu- 
tion, but  even  shamed  into  compliance  with  the  sys- 
tem of  pacification.  Many  were  released  from  prison 
after  the  severest  treatment ;  and  on  inquiry  into 
their  cases,  nothing  could  be  alleged  against  them. 
They  were  consequently  discharged  ;  it  being  evi- 
dent that  their  confinement  had  been  most  unwar- 
rantable, and  to  be  accounted  for  only  as  a  part  of 
the  dreadful  system  of  tyranny  and  oppression  which 
preceded  and  produced  so  many  evil  consequences. 

This  is  strongly  exemplified  in  the  case  of  Doctor 
Healy.  This  gentleman  w^as  a  native  of  Ross,  and 
had  practised  as  a  physician  for  some  years  in  Wex- 
ford, whence  he  was  on  his  way,  on  Whitsunday,  to 
his  native  town,  and  stopping  at  Healthfield,  the  seat 
of  Mr.  John  Grogan,  he  found  that  the  latter  wanted 
horses  for  some  of  his  corps  of  yeomen,  to  conduct 
Sergeant  Stanley  to  Waterford.  The  doctor  then 
dismounted  his  servant,  and  gave  the  horse  he  rode 
to  Mr.  Grogan  for  the  purpose  required  ;  and  pur- 
sued his  journey  to  Ross,  where  all  his  relations  re- 
sided. Some  of  those  who  abandoned  Wexford  on 
the  28th  of  May,  coming  afterwards  to  Ross,  had  the 
inhumanity  to  get  Doctor  Healy  confined,  and  the 
prevailing  torture  of  whipping  inflicted  on  him.  His 
life  was  consequently  endangered,  and  he  continued 
to  experience  the  most  brutal  treatment,  and  was  in 
constant  terror  of  being  put  to  death,  until  relieved, 
along  with  many  others,  all  of  whom  appeared  per- 
fectly innocent,  upon  inquiry  into  their  situation  ;  and 
it  is  natural  to  suppose  that  their  enemies  would 


IRISH  REBELLION.  301 

have  come  forward  to  accuse  them,  if  they  had  any 
charge  to  make,  were  it  only  to  give  some  color  of 
justice  to  their  conduct,  which  appeared  eminently 
tyrannical  to  the  officers  of  the  guards,  who  had  no 
idea  that  such  transactions  could  have  taken  place 
in  any  country. 

I  am  induced  to  insert  the  following  circumstance 
from  Mr.  Alexander's  account,  as  he  was  not  liable 
to  be  imposed  on,  in  this  instance,  by  any  misrepre- 
sentation : — "  Corporal  Morgan  of  the  first  regiment 
of  guards,  observing  a  country-protected  rebel,  whose 
house  was  burned  for  his  crime,  drop  down  at  the 
word  of  command,  upon  his  knees  to  the  gentleman 
who  had  burned  his  house,  ran  hastily  to  the  fellow 
and  lifted  him  off  his  knees,  exclaiming,  '  Get  up, 
you  mean-spirited  boor,  and  do  not  prostrate  yourself 
to  any  being  but  your  God  :  surely,  you  do  not  mis- 
take this  man  for  that  being  V  '  Sir,'  replied  the  gen- 
tleman, '  he  shall  go  on  his  knees  to  me  as  he  ought.' 
'  No,  sir,'  returned  the  corporal,  '  he  shall  not ;  at 
least  in  my  presence,  and  while  I  have  the  honor  of 
being  in  the  king's  guards.  We  give  the  king  but 
one  knee,  and  that  the  left ;  reserving  the  right  knee, 
as  well  as  the  honor  of  both  for  God,  and  I  tell  you 
to  your  fiery  phiz,  (whether  you  believe  me  or  not,) 
that  you  are  neither  a  god  nor  a  king,  nor  shall  you 
receive  the  honor  of  either.'  This  was  a  young  man 
of  good  education,  and  in  the  same  Latin  class  with 
me,  at  the  late  Rev.  Mr.  Wesley's  academy  at  King's- 
wood,  near  Bristol.  He  was  the  son  of  an  eminent 
Methodist  preacher."* 

The  conduct  of  tliose  commanders  last  mentioned 
was  such  as  to  induce  the  people  to  flock  in  with  the 
greatest  confidence  to  procure  protections  ;  and  the 

*  S«e  Al«xaiuler'8  account,  pp.  106, 1Q7 
26 


302  HISTORY  OF  THE 

country  under  their  benign  influence  soon  assumed 
quite  another  appearance.  Had  the  county  of  Wex 
ford  enjoyed  the  blessing  of  being  ruled  by  such  men 
previous  to  the  insurrection,  I  am  fully  persuaded 
that  no  disturbance  would  have  taken  place  there  ; 
and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  they  did  not  continue 
longer  in  command  than  they  did,  as  on  their  depart- 
ure former  influence  so  far  prevailed  as  to  exhibit  a 
tendency  to  persecution,  by  resuming,  as  much  as 
possible,  their  former  conduct,  which  dare  not  be  at- 
tempted when  properly  checked  and  under  due  re- 
straint. General  Needham  commanded  in  Gorey, 
and  different  other  officers  were  stationed  at  Tagh- 
mon  and  Ferns  to  grant  protections. 

Although  I  meant  to  confine  myself  in  this  narra- 
tive to  what  happened  in  the  county  of  Wexford,  yet 
it  might  be  considered  defective  did  I  not  relate 
what  afterwards  took  place,  until  the  warfare  of  the 
Wexford-men  was  closed  by  surrender  in  the  county 
of  Kildare,  under  Messrs.  Fitzgerald  and  Aylmer. 

The  insurgents  who  passed  west  of  the  Slaney, 
under  the  conduct  of  the  Rev.  John  Murphy,  directed 
their  march  to  get  into  the  county  of  Carlow  through 
ScoUagh-gap.  Here  they  met  with  some  opposition 
from  a  small  body  of  troops  placed  there  to  oppose 
the  passage.  These,  however,  they  soon  overpow- 
ered, and  burning  the  village  of  Killedmond  on  the 
Carlow  side  of  the  pass,  they  continued  their  march 
to  Newbridge,  where  they  arrived  on  the  morning  of 
the  23d,  and  quickly  defeating  a  party  of  horse  and 
foot  stationed  on  the  bridge  to  prevent  their  passing 
it,  they  took  twenty-eight  of  the  Wexford  militia, 
part  of  the  force  there  stationed,  but  the  cavalry 
hastily  retreated  to  Kilkenny.  From  this  town  Sir 
Charles  Asgill  immediately  set  out  to  meet  the  in- 
surgents at 'Newbridge,  but  was  too  lale,  as  they  had 


IRISH  rebel;.ion.  303 

moved  off  towards  Castlecomer,  in  expectation  of 
being  joined  by  the  colliers,  from  whom  they  ex- 
pected considerable  assistance.  On  the  24th,  the  in- 
surgents proceeded  from  the  Ridge  of  Leinster,  on 
which  they  rested  the  night  before,  to  attack  Castle- 
comer. Near  this  town  they  met  a  party  of  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  men,  whom  they  obliged  to  re- 
treat precipitately  before  them  into  the  body  of  the 
place.  A  thick  fog,  however,  prevented  them  from 
observing  the  great  inferiority  of  their  opponents,  and 
this,  added  to  the  town  being  on  fire,  (of  which  each 
party  accuses  the  other,)  also  prevented  their  observ- 
ing the  approach  of  Sir  Charles  Asgill,  (who  had 
moved  after  them  with  a  large  military  force,)  until 
they  began  to  be  raked  with  grape-shot  from  his  ar- 
tillery. This  surprise  forced  the  insurgents,  with 
great  loss,  to  quit  their  enterprise,  the  Wexford  mi- 
litia prisoners  being  retaken  from  them  ;  but  still  Sir 
C.  Asgill  thought  it  prudent  to  retreat  that  evening 
back  to  Kilkenny,  accompanied  by  a  vast  number  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Castlecomer,  which,  by-thc-by, 
was  instantly  after  taken  possession  of  again  and 
plundered  by  the  insurgents.  After  this  they  pushed 
on  to  the  Queen's  County,  where  they  remained  that 
night,  and  finding  themselves  greatly  disappointed  in 
not  being  joined  by  the  inhabitants,  and  their  own 
body  being  considerably  weakened  by  desertion,  they 
resolved  to  return  home  to  the  county  of  Wexford. 
They  accordingly  directed  their  course  to  Newbridge, 
and  encamped  that  night  on  Killcomney  Hill,  where 
they  were  surrounded  during  the  night  of  the  25lh 
by  a  large  military  force,  consisting  of  about  five 
hundred  of  the  Downshire  militia,  commanded  by 
Major  Matthews,  who  pursued  them  from  Castle- 
comer, having  first  notified  his  intention  to  Sir 
Charles  Asgill  at  Kilkenny,  who  accordingly  set  out 


304  HISTORY  OF  THE 

from  that  place  at  the  head  of  twelve  hundred  men, 
and  arrived  time  enough  to  co-operate  in  the  attack. 
A  very  thick  fog  prevented  ihe  insurgents  from  be- 
ing sensible  of  their  situation  on  the  morning  of  the 
26th,  until  they  experienced  a  severe  discharge  of 
cannon  on  one  side,  which  made  them  shift  their 
ground  a  little  ;  but  on  receiving  a  second  salute  of 
the  same  kind  from  another  quarter,  the  rout  became 
general,  and  they  fled  with  great  precipitancy:  in- 
deed, they  must  have  been  entirely  cut  off,  had  not 
the  horsemen  that  were  among  them  rallied,  and  pre- 
vented the  cavalry  from  pursuit ;  in  which  dangerous 
service  they  displayed  great  courage  and  intrepidity. 
The  slaughter,  however,  proved  very  great ;  but  it  is 
lamentable  that  the  greater  part  of  the  slain  on  this 
occasion  were  the  people  of  the  adjacent  country, 
who  had  not  at  all  joined  the  insurgents,  nor  left  their 
houses  ;  and  great  depredations  in  the  way  of  plunder 
were  also  committed  on  all  who  happened  to  be 
placed  near  the  scene  of  action.  This  body  of  Wex- 
ford insurgents,  after  again  forcing  their  passage  back 
through  Scollagh-gap,  against  some  troops  who  en- 
deavored to  oppose  them,  never  made  its  appearance 
again,  as  the  people  dispersed  and  retired  to  their 
several  homes,  except  a  very  few  who  joined  their  as- 
sociates in  the  county  of  Wicklow. 

The  other  body  of  Wexford  insurgents  which  had 
proceeded,  as  before  observed,  after  the  attack  upon 
Gorey,  as  far  as  the  White-heaps,  in  the  county  of 
Wicklow,  set  off  on  the  morning  of  the  23d  towards 
the  lead-mines.  While  resting  in  a  posture  of  de- 
fence on  an  eminence  near  this  place  they  perceived 
a  body  of  troops  in  the  hollow  beneath,  and  these 
fired  some  bomb-shells  at  them  from  the  opposite 
side  of  a  river.  The  insurgents  having  no  cannon, 
retreated  towards  Monaseed,  where  they  hailed  part 


IRISH  REBELLION.   '  805 

T)f  that  night,  and  arrived  on  the  morning  of  the  24th 
at  Donard,  which  they  found  deserted.  Here  they 
waited  for  some  time  for  refreshment,  and  then  moved 
towards  Glanmullen,  where  they  met  a  small  party 
of  cavalry,  who  fled  at  their  approach.  They  found 
the  village  of  Aughrim  laid  waste,  and  many  dead 
bodies  bearing  marks  of  cruelty.  From  this  place 
ihey  proceeded  to  Blessington,  and  although  their 
manner  mostly  was  to  rest  as  much  as  possible  by 
day,  and  march  during  the  night,  to  avoid  the  pursuit 
of  a  body  of  cavalry  that  was  observed  to  follow 
them,  and  which  generally  appeared  in  view,  they, 
however,  encamped  this  night  at  Ballymanus,  where, 
uniting  their  forces  with  those  of  Mr.  Garret  Byrne, 
the  whole  moved  on  the  morning  of  the  25th  towards 
Hacketstown,  before  which  they  appeared  about 
seven  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  military  were 
drawn  up  in  a  small  field  outside  the  town,  ready  to 
receive  them ;  but  they  were  forced  to  give  way,  af- 
ter the  loss  of  Captain  Hardy  and  four  privates  of 
the  Hacketstown  yeoman  infantry,  while  the  pike- 
men  of  the  insurgents  were  wading  across  the  river 
to  attack  the  place  on  all  sides.  The  cavalry  re- 
treated and  kept  aloof  during  the  remainder  of  the 
action  ;  but  the  infantry,  consisting  of  about  one 
hundred  and  seventy  men,  retired  into  the  barrack, 
and  a  malt-house  adjoining  it,  from  which  their  fire 
did  great  execution,  as  did  that  from  the  house  of  the 
Rev.  Mr.  M'Ghee,  who  defended  it  with  uncommon 
bravery,  his  force  consisting  of  nine  men  only  ;  but 
who*:e  galling  fire  had  the  greater  effect  as  it  com- 
manded the  main  street,  and  also  that  part  of  the 
barrack  which  was  thought  most  vulnerable.  This 
the  insurgents  endeavored  several  times  to  set  fire  to, 
as  they  had  before  to  the  rest  of  the  town  ;  but  all  in 
vain.  At  length  they  made  a  desperate  effort  to  ac- 
26* 


306  HISTORY  OF  THE 

coinplish  their  purpose.  A  few  men  proceeded  up 
to  the  building,  under  the  cover  of  feather  beds  and 
matted  straw,  fastened  on  cars  ;  but  tliey  were  only- 
successful  in  obliging  the  military  to  abandon  the 
malt-house,  and  could  not  by  any  means  get  posses- 
sion of  the  barrack  or  of  Mr.  M'Ghee's  house,  both 
so  situated  as  to  support  each  other.  The  insurgents 
at  last  deeming  it  impracticable  to  effect  their  design 
without  cannon,  of  which  they  had  not  a  single 
piece,  retreated  from  the  place,  after  an  action  of 
nine  hours,  in  which  they  had  lost  great  numbers ; 
carrying  off  their  wounded,  and  driving  before  them 
all  the  cattle  from  about  the  town,  they  encamped 
that  night  at  Blessington.  The  loss  of  the  garrison 
was  but  ten  killed  and  twenty  wounded  ;  however 
they  thought  it  most  prudent  to  abandon  the  place, 
which  they  did,  and  retreated  that  evening  to  Tullow, 
in  the  county  of  Carlow.  During  the  engagement, 
it  is  said  that  a  considerable  force  of  cavalry  and  in- 
fantry stood  on  a  hill  at  a  small  distance,  in  view  of 
the  scene  of  action,  but  did  not  venture  to  join  in  the 
battle. 

Disappointed  by  the  repulse  at  Hacketstown,  the 
remaining  Wexford  insurgents,  in  conjunction  with 
their  Wicklow  associates,  directed  their  march  to- 
wards Carnew,  which  they  were  resolved  if  possible 
to  carry ;  but  General  Needham,  being  informed  of 
their  approach,  detached  a  strong  body  of  infantry, 
and  about  two  hundred  cavalry  from  his  camp  at 
Gorey,  to  intercept  them.  The  cavalry  alone,  how- 
ever, as  the  infantry  were  recalled,  came  up  with  the 
insurgents  on  the  road  to  Carnew.  These,  feigning 
a  retreat,  having  timely  notice  of  their  approach, 
suffered  the  cavalry  to  pass  until  they  brought  them 
into  an  ambuscade,  where  their  gunsmen  were  pla- 
ced on  both  sides  of  the  way,  behind  the  ditches,  to 


IRISH  REBELLION.  307 

receive  ihem.  At  the  first  discharge  they  were  ut- 
terly confounded,  and  being  unable  to  give  their  op- 
ponents any  annoj^ance,  they  attempted  to  retreat  in 
great  haste  towards  Carnew.  But  here  they  had  to 
encounter  another  part  of  the  plan  of  ambush  ;  for 
the  insurgents,  rightly  conjecturing  that  when  foiled 
they  would  attempt  getting  off  in  that  direction,  had 
blocked  up  the  road  with  cars  and  other  incumbran- 
ces, they  were  for  some  time  exposed  to  the  fire  of 
the  insurgents,  and  lost  about  eighty  of  their  number, 
among  whom  were  two  officers,  Captain  Giffard  of 
the  Ancient  Britons,  and  Mr.  Parsons,  adjutant  of 
the  Ballughkeen  cavalry :  the  rest  effected  their  re- 
treat to  Arklow.  The  detachment  was  commanded 
by  Lieutenant-colonel  Pulestone  of  the  Ancient 
Britons,  of  whom  twenty  were  among  the  slain.  The 
animosity  of  the  people  against  this  regiment,  which 
they  charged  with  being  guilty  of  gi'eat  excesses, 
may  be  instanced  in  the  case  of  a  black  trumpeter 
belonging  to  it  who  fell  into  their  hands  alive  on  this 
occasion.  When  seized  upon,  this  man  loudly  de- 
clared that  he  was  a  Roman  Catholic,  and  besought 
them  to  spare  him  for  the  sake  of  his  religion.  But 
liis  deeds  with  which  he  was  upbraided  were  too  re- 
cent and  too  notorious,  and  he  obtained  no  quarter. 
The  insurgents  lost  not  a  single  man  in  this  action  ; 
but  they  were  foiled  in  their  design  upon  Carnew, 
the  garrison  of  which,  being  alarmed  by  the  retreat- 
ing cavalry,  had  just  time  to  secure  themselves  in  a 
malt-house  before  the  approach  of  the  insurgents, 
who,  after  an  ineffectual  attack,  marched  off  to  Kill- 
cavan  Hill. 

On  the  2d  of  July,  as  the  insurgents  began  to 
move  towards  Shillelagh,  they  were  pursued  by  a 
body  of  yeomen,  cavalry  and  infantry,  before  whom 
they  retired  to  an  eminence  called  Ballyraheen  Hill. 


308  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Here  tliey  took  post,  but  as  the  yeomen  moved  up 
the  hill,  the  insurgents  poured  upon  them  with  such 
impetuosity  and  vehemence,  that  they  were  in  an  in- 
stant utterly  discomfited,  with  the  loss  of  seventy 
privates  and  two  officers,  all  infantry,  for  none  of  the 
cavalry  fell.  The  officers  were  Captain  Chamney 
of  the  Coolattin,  and  Captain  Nixon  of  the  Coolken- 
na  corps  ;  besides  numbers  were  wounded.  Sixty 
privates,  under  Captain  Moreton  of  the  Tinahely, 
and  Lieutenant  Chamney  of  the  Coolattin  yeomen, 
retreated  into  Captain  Chamney's  house  at  the  foot 
of  the  hill,  whither  they  were  pursued  by  the  insur- 
gents, who  continued  to  attack  them  all  night,  but 
they  were  resisted  with  the  utmost  bravery  and  cool- 
ness, and  at  length  repulsed  with  considerable  loss, 
to  which  it  is  probable  the  light  afforded  by  a  house 
adjoining,  that  of  Mr.  Henry  Moreton,  (which  had 
been  set  on  fire  by  the  insurgents  in  their  phrensy,) 
contributed  not  a  liltle,  as  it  enabled  those  within  to 
aim  with  precision  at  the  assailants.  It  was  several 
times  attempted  to  fire  the  house,  by  approaching 
the  door  under  the  cover  of  feather-beds,  which 
proved  unsuccessful. 

The  Wexford  insurgents  next  fixed  their  station 
near  the  White-heaps,  at  the  foot  of  Croghan-moun- 
tain  ;  from  whence  they  moved  during  the  night  of 
the  4th,  towards  Wicklow-gap,  but  were  met  on  the 
morning  of  the  5th  by  the  army  under  Sir  James 
Duff  from  Carnew  ;  and  after  some  salutes  from  the 
artillery,  they  were  obliged  to  take  another  direction, 
and  turned  towards  Gorey.  But  the  fact  is,  that 
they  were  surrounded  by  four  powerful  detachments, 
before  they  could  perceive  the  approach  of  any,  in 
consequence  of  a  fog  so  dense  that  it  was  impossible 
to  distinguish  objects  at  the  distance  of  twenty  yards  ; 
and  finding  themselves  unable  to  withstand  a  battle, 


IRISH  REBELLION.  309 

they  broke  through  the  pursuing  cavalry  of  Sir  James 
Duff's  army,  of  v/hom  they  slew  about  eighty ;  and 
moved  with  great  celerity  in  the  direction  of  Carnew. 
But  upon  their  arrival  at  a  place  called  Craneford, 
by  others  Ballygullen,  they  resolved  to  make  resist- 
ance and  await  the  approach  of  the  troops,  however 
numerous,  although  their  own  force  was  by  this  time 
considerably  diminished.  They  however  maintained 
the  contest  for  an  hour  and  a  half,  displaying  the 
greatest  valor,  and  most  intrepid  resolution  ;  having 
repulsed  the  cavalry,  and  driven  the  artillerymen 
three  times  from  their  cannon,  all  performed  by  their 
gunsmen  ;  for  the  pikcmen,  as  on  former  occasions, 
never  came  into  action  ;  but  fresh  reinforcements  of 
the  army  pouring  in  on  all  sides,  they  were  obliged 
to  gi\e  way,  quitting  the  field  of  battle  with  little 
loss  to  themselves,  and  notwithstanding  all  their  fa- 
tigue, retreating,  with  their  usual  agility  and  swift- 
ness, in  different  directions  ;  but  agreed  among 
themselves  to  assemble  again  at  Carrigrew.  A  par- 
ty of  these  refugees  were  met  by  tlie  Rev.  Peter 
Browne,  dean  of  Ferns,  who  was  suffered  to  pass, 
and  he  instantly  posted  to  Ferns,  to  inform  the  King's 
County  militia,  quartered  there,  of  the  route  of  the 
flying  insurgents.  The  military  accordingly  set  out, 
with  all  speed,  on  the  pursuit,  and  killed  such  of  the 
straggling  peasantry  as  they  met  or  came  up  to  with- 
out mercy.  The  insurgents  thus  harassed  and 
hunted,  thought  it  advisable,  upon  meeting  at  Carri- 
grew, to  disperse,  and  thus  put  an  end  to  the  war- 
fare in  the  county  of  Wexford. 

A  party  of  insurgents  in  the  county  of  Kildare, 
under  the  command  of  Mr.  William  Aylmer,  still 
held  out  in  arms,  and  thither  the  remaining  body  of 
the  Wexford  men,  commanded  by  Mr.  Fitzgerald, 
accompanied  by  Mr.  Garret  Byrne,  and  some  Wick- 


310  HISTORY  OF  THE 

low  men,  directed  their  course  to  form  a  junction, 
which  they  accordingly  effected.  This  associated 
force  moved  from  Prosperous  to  Clonard,  where  they 
met  a  most  determined  and  successful  resistance 
from  Lieutenant  Tyrrel,  a  yeoman  officer,  who,  with 
his  corps,  had  occupied  a  fortified  house  in  the  town. 
These  delayed  the  assailants  until  reinforcements  ar- 
rived from  Kinnegad  and  IMullingar,  when  they  were 
forced  to  give  up  the  enterprise. 

After  this  repulse,  the  few  remaining  Wexford 
men  separated  from  their  Wicklow  associates,  whom 
they  deemed  less  warlike  than  themselves,  and  made 
different  incursions  into  the  counties  of  Kildare, 
]\Ieath,  Louth,  and  Dublin,  eluding,  as  well  as  they 
could,  the  pursuit  of  the  army,  with  different  parties 
of  which  they  had  frequent  skirmishes.  The  night 
of  the  repulse  at  Donard,  they  committed  some  dep- 
redations in  the  village  of  Carbery,  in  the  county  of 
Kildare.  On  the  next  day,  pursued  by  different 
parties  of  military,  they  marched  into  the  county  of 
Meath,  where  they  were  overtaken  and  put  to  flight 
by  Colonel  Gough,  commanding  a  detachment  of  the 
county  of  Limerick  mihtia  from  Edenderry.  After 
this,  two  of  their  leaders,  Mr.  Perry  and  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Kearns,  endeavoring  to  make  their  escape  by 
themselves,  were  taken,  tried,  and  condemned  by 
court-martial,  and  executed  at  Edenderry.  Unable 
to  effect  any  thing  in  the  county  of  Meath,  the  Wex- 
ford men  crossed  the  Boyne,  near  Duleek,  into  the 
county  of  Louth,  where,  being  pursued  from  place 
to  place,  they  made  a  most  gallant  resistance  to  the 
cavalry  of  Major-general  Wemys  and  Brigadier-gen- 
eral Meyrick,  who  overtook  them  between  the  town 
of  Ardee  and  the  Boyne  ;  but  the  infantry  and  artil- 
lery coming  up,  they  were  defeated  with  some  loss, 
and  fled  into  an  adjoining  bog,  where  they  were  se- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  311 

cure  from  pursuit.  In  the  night,  a  small  party  set 
off  towards  Ardee,  and  dispersed,  each  as  he  best 
could,  making  way  by  devious  and  circuitous  routes 
liomeward.  The  remaining  body  repassed  the  Boyne, 
and,  with  their  usual  celerity,  were  on  the  direct 
road  towards  Dublin,  when  intercepted  by  Captain 
Gordon,  of  the  Dumfries  light  dragoons,  at  the  head 
of  a  strong  party  of  horse  and  foot,  at  Ballyboghill, 
near  Swords,  where  they  wer  efinally  put  to  the  rout, 
and  were  never  more  collected. 

Some  Wexford  insurgents,  however,  remained 
with  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  along  with  Mr.  Aylmer,  who  as 
outstanding  chiefs  negotiated  with  General  Dundas, 
to  whom  they  surrendered  on  the  12th  of  July,  on 
condition  that  all  the  other  leaders  who  had  adven- 
tured with  them,  should  be  at  liberty  to  retire  whith- 
er they  pleased  out  of  the  British  dominions.  The 
same  terms  were  afterwards  secured  by  General 
Moore  to  Mr.  Garret  Byrne,  who  was  sent  into  con- 
finement in  the  castle  of  Dublin,  together  with 
Messrs.  Fitzgerald  and  Aylmer.  Here  they  contin- 
ued until  the  beginning  of  1799,  when  Lord  Corn- 
wallis  permitted  them  to  retire  to  England,  where 
they  remained  until  the  25th  of  March  following, 
when  Messrs.  Fitzgerald  and  Byrne  were  arrested 
at  Bristol,  (where  they  were  for  the  recovery  of  their 
health,)  at  the  instance  of  persons  connected  with  a 
strong  Irish  party  for  the  union,  whom  it  was  thought 
at  that  time  advisable  to  indulge.  These  gentlemen 
afterwards  retired  to  Hamburgh. 

Messrs.  Aylmer,  Fitzgerald,  and  other  outstanding 
chiefs  surrendered,  conditioning  for  themselves  and 
others,  by  which  they  fared  much  better  than  those 
who  laid  down  their  arms  in  Wexford,  depending  on 
the  faithful  fulfilment  of  the  terms  entered  into  with 
Lord  Kingsborough. 


312  HISTORY   OF  THE 

General  Lake,  previous  to  his  departure  from 
Wexford,  appointed  a  committee  to  superintend  pros- 
ecutions, and  to  grant  passes  to  leave  the  country, 
consisting  of  the  principal  gentlemen  then  resident 
there.  The  appropriate  duty  of  this  body  was,  to 
inquire  specially  into  the  cases  of  such  prisoners  as 
they  should  hand  over  to  be  tried  by  court-martial, 
to  procure  the  evidence  for  prosecution,  and  to  com- 
mit different  persons  to  jail.  It  was  not,  however, 
deemed  necessary  to  send  a  committal  to  the  jailer, 
as  the  word  of  any  of  them  was  considered  sufficient 
for  the  detention  of  any  of  those  given  in  custody  ; 
and  they  were  also  to  act  as  a  kind  of  council  to 
General  Hunter,  whose  benevolent  disposition  they 
thwarted  on  several  occasions  ;  and  this  was  so  well 
known,  that  many  upon  being  put  into  confinement, 
were  induced  by  their  apprehensions  to  petition  for 
transportation,  rather  than  abide  a  trial  under  their 
direction.  I'he  tyrannical,  unjust,  and  inhuman  dis- 
position of  this  body  is  strongly  exemplified  in  their 
unwarrantable  treatment  of  many  besides  myself, 
which  I  have  endeavored  to  detail  in  my  preliminary 
discourse. 

Different  court-martials  were  instituted  in  Ross, 
Enniscorlhy,  Gorey,  and  Newtownbarry,  and  several 
persons  were  condemned  and  executed,  and  others 
were  sentenced  to  transportation.  Among  those  who 
were  condemned  to  be  executed,  I  cannot  avoid  no- 
ticing the  case  of  the  Rev.  John  Redmond,  a  Catho- 
lic priest,  who  it  seems,  during  the  insurrection,  had 
done  all  in  his  power  to  save  the  house  of  Lord 
Mountnorris  from  being  plundered,  which  he  in 
some  degree  effected,  but  not  at  all  to  the  extent  of 
liis  wishes.  Lord  Mountnorris,  however,  to  prevent 
the  possibility  of  his  being  supposed  by  any  one  in 
future  a  friend  to  Catholics,  sent  for  Mr.  Redmond, 


IRISH  REBELLION.  313 

upon  finding  that  he  was  present  at  the  plundering 
of  his  house,  desiring  that  he  would  come  to  him  di- 
rectly. The  reverend  gentleman,  conscious  of  liis 
own  integrity,  and  apprehensive  of  no  danger,  as  in- 
volved in  no  guilt,  obeyed  the  summons  without  hes- 
itation ;  but  his  instantaneous,  hasty  trial,  condem- 
nation, and  execution  were  the  reward  of  his  humane 
and  generous  exertions.  His  body,  after  death,  un- 
derwent the  most  indecent  mutilations.  But  to  put 
this  innocent  man's  conduct  in  its  proper  point  of 
view,  I  do  not  think  I  can  do  better  than  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Gordon,  a  Protestant  clergyman,  has  done  in  his 
history"  of  the  Irish  rebellion. 

"  Of  the  rebellious  conduct  of  Redmond,  coadjutor 
to  Father  Francis  Kavanagh,  in  the  parish  of  Clough, 
of  which  I  was  twenty-three  years  curate,  I  can  find 
no  other  proof  than  the  sentence  of  the  court-martial 
which  consigned  him  to  death.  He  was  accused  by 
the  Earl  of  Mountnorris  of  having  appeared  as  chief 
among  a  party  of  rebels  who  committed  some  dep- 
redations at  his  lordship's  house,  while  he  alleged 
that  his  object  in  appearing  on  the  occasion  was,  to 
endeavor  to  prevent  the  plundering  of  the  house,  in 
which  he  had  partly  succeeded.  Coming  into  Go- 
rey  on  a  message  from  the  earl,  seemingly  unappre- 
hensive of  danger  and  unconscious  of  guilt,  he  was 
treated  as  if  manifestly  guilty  before  trial — knocked 
down  in  the  street,  and  rudely  dragged  by  some  yeo- 
men. I  mean  not  to  arraign  the  justice  of  the  noble 
lord,  his  prosecutor,  nor  the  members  of  the  court- 
martial.  The  former,  who  had  rendered  himself  in 
no  small  degree  responsible  for  the  loyalty  of  the 
Wexfordian  Romanists,  had  doubtless  good  reasons 
for  his  conduct ;  and  the  latter  could  have  no  per- 
sonal animosity  against  the  accused,  nor  other  un- 
favorable bias  than  what  naturally  arose  from  the 
27 


314  HISTORY  OF  THE 

turbid  state  of  affairs,  when  accusation  against  a 
Romish  priest  was  considered  as  a  strong  presump- 
tion of  guilt.  But  liis  Protestant  neiglibors  who  had 
not  been  able  to  escape  from  the  rebels,  assured  me 
that  while  the  latter  were  in  possession  of  the  coun- 
try, he  was  constantly  hiding  in  Protestant  houses 
from  the  rebels,  and  that  many  Romanists  expressed 
great  resentment  against  him  as  a  traitor  to  their 
cause.  That  he  expected  not  the  rebellion  to  be 
successful,  appears  from  this,  that  when  the  wife  of 
Nathaniel  Stedman  (one  of  my  Protestant  parishion- 
ers) applied  to  him  to  baptize  her  child,*  he  told  her 
that  he  acceded  to  her  request,  merely  lest  the  child 
should  die  unbaptized,  in  the  necessary  absence  of 
her  minister,  on  condition  that  she  should  promise  to 
make  the  proper  apology  for  him  to  me,  on  my  re- 
turn to  the  parish." 

It  is  a  melancholy  reflection  to  think  how  many 
innocent  persons  were  condemned.  I  have  heard  of 
numbers,  of  whose  innocence  the  smallest  doubt 
cannot  be  entertained,  whose  conduct  merited  reward 
instead  of  punishment ;  yet  they  fell  victims  to  the 
purest  sentiments  of  philanthropy,  which  dictated 
their  interference :  these  have  been  perverted  by 
their  enemies,  who  are  also  those  of  the  human  race, 
into  crimes  utterly  unpardonable.  Is  this  any  thing 
less  than  arraigning  benevolence  and  humanity,  the 
most  amiable  qualities  of  the  soul  of  man,  as  crim- 
inal and  atrocious  ?  But  every  man's  breast,  what- 
ever be  his  principles,  will  tell  him  with  irresistible 
force,  that  crime  and  atrocity  lie  at  the  other  side. 
From  personal  knowledge  of  the  circumstances,  I 
knew  five  or  six  who  were  innocent  of  the  charges 
and  of  the  deeds  sworn  against  them,  and  who  still 

*  "See  Gordon's  History  of  the  Irish  Rebellion,  pp.  185,  186 


IRISH  REBELLION.  315 

were  condemned  and  executed.  In  these  turbid  and 
distracted  times,  I  have  seen  persons  sunk  so  much 
below  the  level  of  human  nature,  that  I  do  believe 
ihey  were  not  capable  of  judgment  or  recollection; 
which  accounts  to  me  in  some  degree  for  the  various 
assertions,  even  testimonies  on  trials,  and  affidavits 
made  by  different  persons,  who  might  as  well  relate 
their  dreams  for  facts.  The  dreadful  prejudice, 
hateful  as  uncharitable,  entertained  against  Catholics, 
has  also  occasioned  the  death  of  many ;  and  the 
general  excuse  and  impunity  of  Protestants,  who 
joined  in  the  insurrection,  has  induced  many  to  avail 
themselves  of  this  favorable  circumstance  to  change 
with  the  times  ;  and  to  testify  their  loyalty,  they  ac- 
cuse the  very  persons  they  themselves  seduced  to 
join  the  association  of  United  Irishmen,  and  thus  cut 
off  all  the  existing  proof  of  their  own  delinquency  by 
a  consummation  of  villany.  The  loyalizing  spirit, 
if  I  may  be  allowed  the  expression,  has  done  a  vast 
deal  of  mischief;  for  those  in  the  predicament  last 
mentioned  are  unprincipled  turncoats  in  religion, 
who  scruple  not  to  throw  out  every  calumnious  as- 
persion upon  that  which  they  have  not  only  forsaken 
but  abandoned,  in  order,  if  possible,  to  impress  an 
idea  of  the  sincerity  of  their  conversion  in  embracing 
the  other.  Vain  effort — it  only  exposes  the  hypo- 
critical apostacy  in  either  case  to  the  dignified  con- 
tempt of  every  intelligent  and  principled  man.  I 
know  two  Protestant  gentlemen,  who,  if  they  had 
been  Catholics,  would  not  have  escaped  at  this  crit- 
ical time.  They  also  attribute  the  saving  of  their 
lives  to  gambling,  of  the  good  effects  of  which  I  never 
before  heard  an  instance.  However,  certain  it  is 
that  these  gentlemen  had  lost  some  money  at  play, 
previous  to  the  insurrection,  which  luckily  for  them 
had  not  been  paid  at  that  period  ;    and  the  gallant 


316  HISTORY  OF  THE 

heroes  wlio  were  the  honorable  creditors  on  the  oc- 
casion, and  who  were  eminently  active  in  suppress- 
ing the  rebellion,  Immanehj  considered  that  none  of 
the  debt  could  be  recovered  if  the  two  gentlemen 
were  hanged,  and  therefore  they  suffered  their  in- 
terest to  work  upon  their  mercy,  which  operated  to 
the  procurement  of  pardon  and  release  for  the  gen- 
tlemen in  question,  as  well  as  the  consequent  pay- 
ment of  these  debts  of  honor.  1  know  the  two  gen- 
tlemen well,  and  have  often  heard  them  relate  this 
adventure,  which  is  deemed  to  have  preserved  two 
fine  fellows. 

Mr.  E.  Kyan,  whose  courage  and  humanity  de- 
served a  better  fate,  was  taken  near  Wexford,  on 
his  return  home  in  the  night,  tried,  condemned,  and 
executed  the  next  day  ;  for  although  manifest  proofs 
appeared  of  his  humanity  and  interference,  so  con- 
spicuously effectual  on  the  bridge  of  Wexford,  on  the 
20th  of  June,  yet  this  was  insufficient  to  save  hi  in, 
as  he  had  arms  about  him  when  apprehended.  His 
fate  is  the  more  lamentable,  as  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  on 
surrendering  to  General  Dundas,  had  secured  the 
same  terms  for  Mr.  Kyan  as  for  himself;  so  that  had 
any  circumstance  interfered  to  delay  his  execution 
for  some  time,  the  life  of  a  brave  man  would  have 
been  saved. 

General  Hunter  was  indefatigable  in  his  exertions 
to  appease  the  minds  of  the  people,  and  to  restore 
confidence  and  tranquillity  to  this  distracted  country. 
In  this  he  was  ver>^  materially  assisted  by  the  ad- 
dress and  exertions  of  Captain  Fitzgerald,  who  by 
the  special  appointment  of  the  British  government, 
was  attached  as  a  proper  person  to  attend  the  general 
as  brigade-major  on  the  service  in  Ireland  ;  and  to 
this  station,  besides  his  acknowledged  military  talents, 
a  recent  display  of  courage,  independent  of  his  know- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  317 

ledge  of  the  country,  certainly  recommended  him. 
He  was  even  invested  with  the  extraordinary  privi- 
lege of  recommending  such  as  he  thouglit  deserving 
of  the  protection  and  mercy  of  government. 

Some  principal  gentlemen  of  the  county,  and  others 
besides,  attempted  to  interpose  their  authority  to  su- 
persede the  tenor  of  the  general  pardon  held  out  by 
proclamation,  pursuing  the  same  line  of  arbitrary 
conduct  which  they  practised  previous  to  the  insui:- 
rection.  They  even  proceeded  to  such  a  length  as 
presuming  to  tear  some  of  the  protections  which  the 
country  people  had  obtained  ;  but  this  coming  to  the 
general's  knowledge,  he  soon  quieted  them  by 
threatening  to  have  them  tied  to  a  cart's  tail  and 
whipped.  Others  had  been  rash  enough  to  levy  ar- 
bitrary contributions  for  the  losses  they  had  sustained 
during  the  insurrection  ;  but  were  glad  upon  dis- 
covery, and  refunding  what  they  had  received,  to  es- 
cape punishment,  which  favor  was  generally  obtained 
through  the  intercession  of  Major  Fitzgerald.  Even 
a  beneficed  clergyman  of  the  Estabhshed  Church 
partook  of  the  general's  indulgence.  Another,  who 
was  but  a  curate,  was  induced  to  wait  on  the  general 
with  an  account  of  the  intended  massacre  of  the 
Protestants,  which  he  detailed  with  appearance  of 
the  utmost  alarm,  and  was  patiently  heard  out,  with 
tlie  greatest  complacency  by  the  general ;  who,  when 
the  curate  had  ended,  addressed  him  with  this  mark- 
ed appellation  and  strong  language  : — "  Mr.  Massa- 
cre, if  you  do  not  prove  to  me  the  circumstances  you 
have  related,  I  shall  get  you  punished  in  the  most 
exemplary  manner,  for  raising  false  alarms,  which 
have  already  proved  so  destructive  to  this  unfortu- 
nate country."  The  curate's  alarm  now  from  gener- 
al became  personal,  and  on  allowing  that  his  fears 
had  been  excited  by  vague  report  to  make  this  repre- 
27* 


318  HISTORY  OF  THE 

sentation,  his  piteous  supplication,  and  apparently 
hearty  contrition,  procured  him  forgiveness.  Many 
and  various  were  the  representations  of  a  similar  ten- 
dency, made  to  General  Hunter,  which  other  com- 
manders were  led  to  believe,  but  which  his  superior 
discrimination  deemed  false  and  groundless,  and 
were  discovered  so  to  be  in  several  instances,  by  the 
activity  and  acumen  of  his  brigade-major. 

x'VnnesIey  Brownrigg,  Esq.,  a  magistrate  of  the 
county  of  Wexford,  received  nine-and-thirty  charges 
of  pillage  and  slaughter  against  Mr.  Hunter  Gowan  ; 
and  on  the  informations  being  submitted  to  General 
Hunter,  he  sent  out  a  party  of  the  Mid-Lothian  cav- 
alry to  conduct  him  prisoner  to  Wexford,  whither  he 
was  brought  accordingly,  and  there  it  w^as  determin- 
ed to  bring  him  to  trial.  Mr.  Brownrigg  returned 
home,  in  the  mean  time,  to  collect  the  evidence,  but 
it  was  previously  settled  that  he  should  have  suffi- 
cient notice  ;  but  on  the  day  appointed  for  the  trial, 
no  prosecutor  attending,  Mr.  Gowan  of  course  was 
discharged.  An  official  letter  had  been  dispatched 
in  due  time,  yet  he  did  not  receive  it  until  it  was  a 
day  too  late.  Whether  the  miscarriage  of  the  letter 
was  by  accident  or  design,  continues  yet  a  secret. 

The  various  outrages  that  were  committed  in  the 
country,  prevented  vast  numbers  from  coming  into 
the  quarters  of  the  several  commanding  officers  to 
obtain  protections,  as  many  of  the  yeomen  and  their 
supplementaries  continued  the  system  of  deflagration 
and  shooting  such  of  the  peasantry  as  they  met ;  and 
this  necessarily  deterred  many  from  exposing  them- 
selves to  their  view,  and  prevented  of  course  the  hu- 
mane and  benevolent  intentions  of  General  Hunter 
from  having  due  weight  or  extensive  effiict.  The 
melancholy  consequences  of  such  a  system  of  terror, 
persecution,  and  alarm,  were  very  near  being  woful- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  319 

ly  experienced  in  a  shocking  instance  of  dreadful  se- 
verity— the  extermination  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  a 
large  tract  of  the  county  of  Wexford.  This  was  ac- 
tually determined  on,  and  the  execution  of  it  already 
planned  and  concerted,  when  its  horrid  perpetration 
was  providentially  prevented  by  the  timely  and  hap- 
py intervention  of  Brigade-major  Fitzgerald,  under  the 
direction  and  orders  of  General  Hunter.  Incessant 
applications  and  remonstrances  were  made  by  differ- 
ent magistrates  in  Gorey  and  its  vicinity,  to  govern- 
ment, complaining  that  an  entire  quarter  of  the  coun- 
ty of  Wexford,  extending  from  Courtovvn  to  Black- 
water,  which  range  of  county  is  denominated  the 
Macomores,  was  infested  with  constant  meetings  of 
rebels  ;  and  no  means  w^ere  left  untried  to  prevent 
travellers  from  proceeding  to  Wexford  in  that  direc- 
tion without  escorts  ;  and  many  persons  whose  hab- 
itations lay  in  the  neighborhood  of  this  district  left 
their  homes  deserted,  from  a  belief  that  another  rising 
of  the  people  was  inevitable  ;  and  it  w^as  daily  ex- 
pected to  take  place  :  nay,  the  reports  laid  before 
government  were  even  confirmed  by  affidavits ;  and 
so  generally  was  it  believed,  that  persons  resident 
within  two  miles  of  the  confines  presumed  not  to  in- 
quire into  the  veracity  of  the  reports,  to  which,  how- 
ever, they  gave  implicit  credit ;  while,  at  the  same 
time,  they  were  accredited  by  government,  to  whom 
they  were  handed  in  under  the  specious,  imposing, 
and  solemn  appearance  of  facts  by  a  magistracy  that 
should  be  deliberate,  grave,  and  respectable  ;  and  the 
noble  viceroy  who  then  held  the  helm  of  the  govern- 
ment was  rendered  justly  indignant  by  these  reitera- 
ted complaints  of  the  abuse  of  his  clemency,  on  the 
represented  imminent  danger  of  the  country.  Or- 
ders were  accordingly  sent  to  the  different  generals 
and  other  commanding  officers  in  and  contiguous  to 


820  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  devoted  tract,  to  form  a  line   along  its  extent  on 
the  western  border,   and   at  both   ends,   north   and 
south,  on  the  land  side,  so  as  to  leave  no  resource  to 
the  wretched  inhabitants  throughout  its  whole  range, 
but  to  be  slaughtered  by  the  soldiery,  or  to  be  driven 
into  the  sea,  as  it  is  bounded  by  the  channel  on  the 
eastward.     Even  women  and  children  were  to  be  in- 
cluded in  this  horrid  plan  of  terrific  example.     The 
chief  command  in   execution   of  this  measure,  the 
time  for  its  commencement,  and  the  final  determina- 
tion of  its  necessity,  were  intrusted  to  the  discretion 
of  General  Hunter,  nor  was  the  confidence,  indeed, 
misplaced.     He  was  himself,  with  the   second   or 
queen's,  and  the  twenty-ninth  regiments  of  infantry, 
together  with  the  Mid-Lothian  fencible  cavalry,  sta- 
tioned in  Wexford ;    Brigadier-general   Grose    was 
with  the  South  Cork  militia  at  Enniscorthy;  Lord 
Blaney  commanded  the  camp  at  Ferns,  composed  of 
the  light  brigades  ;  Brigadier-general  Skerret  with 
his  regiment  of  foot  in  Gorey  ;  and  General  Eustace 
with   his  brigade  at  Arklow.     These,  together  with 
the   general  assistance    of  all   the    yeomanry  corps 
throughout  the   country,  were   to  form  the   cordon 
round  the  country  of  the  Macomores,  and  the  troops 
were  to  move  at  once  to  the  dreadful  expedition.  So 
terrifying  were  the  reports   at  this  crisis,  that  even 
some  liberal  but  timid  and  credulous  minds  approved 
of  these  melancholy  means  of  sacrificing  thousands, 
(that  tract  being  very  populous,)  as  the  only  effectual 
resource  for  restoring  tranquillity  ! 

General  Hunter,  through  the  honest  exertions  and 
bold  scrutiny  of  Major  Fitzgerald,  fortunately  dis- 
covered in  time  the  inhuman  tendency  of  the  misre- 
presentation that  had  dictated  and  determined  this 
shocking  enterprise.  The  devoted  victims  found  ac- 
cess to  the  general,  and  he  cheerfully  acceded  to 


IRISH  REBELLION.  321 

their  entreaties  to  send  an  officer  to  inquire  into  their 
complaints,  imploring  protection  from  the  incursions 
of  the  black  mob,  (they  thus  denominated  the  supple- 
mentaries  to  the  different  corps  of  yeomanry,)  who 
wreaked  their  vengeance  even  upon  those  who  had  re- 
ceived protections  from  General  Needham  at  Gorey  ; 
as  different  parties  of  the  soldiery  and  yeomanry 
waited  their  return  in  ambush,  and  slaughtered  every 
one  they  could  overtake  !  This  naturally  prevented 
great  numbers  from  coming  in  for  protections.  After- 
wards these  sanguinary  banditti  made  incursions  into 
the  country,  fired  into  the  houses  of  the  peasantry,  and 
so  killed  and  wounded  many.  Several  houses  after 
being  plundered  were  burned,  and  the  booty  was 
brought  into  Gorey.  By  the  frequency  of  these  hor- 
rible excesses  and  depredations,  such  houses  as  re- 
mained unburned  were  of  course  crowded  with  sev- 
eral families  ;  and  this  multiplied  the  number  of  vic- 
tims at  each  succeeding  incursion.  At  last  most  of 
the  inhabitants  of  necessity  took  refuge  on  the  hills, 
and  armed  themselves  with  every  offensive  weapon 
they  could  procure.  The  elevation  of  their  retreats 
necessarily  made  their  assemblages  conspicuous,  and 
this  afforded  some  color  to  the  pretext  for  desolation, 
as  it  appeared  a  specious  proof  that  a  general  rising 
was  intended  ;  and  this  was  most  strenuously  urged 
by  those  who  seemed  bent  on  the  extermination  of 
the  unfortunate  inhabitants  of  the  Macomores  terri- 
tory, so  as  to  work  upon  the  minds  of  some  well-dis- 
posed but  timid  persons  an  approval  of  the  dreadful 
expedient.  General  Hunter,  however,  having,  along 
with  his  general  orders,  a  discretionary  power  to  act 
as  circumstances  might  require,  sent  Major  Fitzger- 
ald to  inspect  the  different  military  corps  that  were 
to  be  in  readiness  for  the  enterprise,  in  case  his  mis- 
sion for  the  purpose  of  conciliation  proved  unsuc- 


322  HISTORY   OF  THE 

cessful ;  he  being  vested  wilh  full  powers  to  under- 
take that  task   of  benevolence  and  mercy.     Major 
Fitzgerald  accordingly  inspected  the  troops  at  Ennis- 
corlhy  and  Camolin,  and   from  the   latter  place  dis- 
patched Surgeon  White  of  the  Camolin  cavalry  (son 
of  Mr.  Henry  While  of  Donoughmore,  a  gentleman 
much  respected  in  the  country  of  ihe  Macomores)  to 
announce  his  intended  visit  to  the  inhabitants.     The 
major  then  proceeded   on   his  inspection   to   Gorey, 
and  here  had  great  difficulty  to  procure  an  escort  to 
accompany  him,  as  the  strongest  fears  were  express- 
ed for  his  safety  should  he  enter  into  such  a  despe- 
rate quarter  as  it  was  represented  ;  their  dreadful  ac- 
counts of  its  state  being  an  echo  of  the  representa- 
tions that  had  been  made  to   government,  and  trans- 
mitted to  General  Hunter,  who  felt   good  reason  to 
doubt  their  authority.     However,  the  major  was  not 
to  be   baffled,   imposed  upon,  or  disobeyed,  and   he 
perceived  evident  features   of  great  disappointment 
exhibited  by  those  who  would  fain  dissuade  him  from 
his  purpose,  as  they  were  conscious  that  the  object 
of  his   mission  was  not  according  to  their  wishes, 
nay,  that  it  must  terminate  directly  contrary  to  them. 
The  escort  ver}^  reluctantly  obeyed  their  orders,  and 
on  being  dismissed   galloped  full  speed  back  to  Go- 
rey, while    the    major   arrived   in   perfect  safety  at 
Donoughmore,   in   the   Macomores,  where  he  slept 
that  night.     On  the  next  morning,   Mr.  White  and 
his  son,  who  were  beloved  by  the  people,  accompa- 
nied the  major  to  the  place  appointed  for  the  meet- 
ing of  the  people  ;  and  soon  after  their  arrival  there, 
some   yeomen,  arrayed  in   military  attire,  were   ob- 
served at  some   distance    by  the  crowd.     This  in- 
stantly excited  alarm,  and   a  rumor   was   circulated 
that  their  extermination  was  determined  on,  and  that 
they  were  led  to  this  spot  to  be  surrounded  and  cut 


IRISH  REBELLION.  323 

> 

off  while  the  major  was  to  amuse  them  with  terms 
and  harangue  !  It  is  providential  that  the  conster- 
nation and  dismay  produced  by  this  incident  did  not 
operate  to  the  major's  destruction,  as  it  would  have 
atforded  the  abettors  of  extermination  every  argu- 
ment to  fortify  their  representations ;  and  it  is  to  be 
hoped  that  the  appearance  of  this  military  body  was 
not  intended  for  this  purpose,  in  revenge  for  his  une- 
quivocally declared  opinion  of  the  misconduct  of 
some  of  the  yeomanry.  The  major's  death  on  this 
occasion  would  have  put  an  end  to  all  accommoda- 
tion ;  and,  from  the  very  violent  expressions  used  by 
the  people,  on  thinking  themselves  betrayed,  nothing 
but  his  coolness  and  presence  of  mind  could  have 
preserved  him  in  so  critical  a  juncture.  He  calmly 
waited  for  silence,  and  then  offered  himself  as  a  vic- 
tim, should  a  military  force  of  any  consequence  be 
seen  to  approach  them,  as  his  inspection  the  day  be- 
fore was  to  prevent  all  accidents  of  that  nature  ;  and 
stated  that  he  could  by  no  means  account  for  that 
which  occurred,  but  from  the  misconduct  of  some  of 
the  yeomanry.  This  address  instantly  produced  a 
thorough  conviction  of  his  indubitable  sincerity  and 
benevolent  intentions,  and  the  people  unanimously 
surrendered  to  him,  and  continued  to  flock  into  Wex- 
ford for  several  days  after,  to  give  up  their  arms  and 
receive  protections.  Major  Fitzgerald  considered  it 
necessary  to  guard  the  roads  with  patrols  of  cavalry, 
to  prevent  the  people  from  being  insulted  or  inter- 
rupted in  their  return  to  their  avowed  allegiance  ; 
and  General  Hunter,  being  convinced  of  the  expe- 
diency of  protecting  the  harassed  peasantry  from  the 
violence  and  machinations  of  party,  ordered  Captain 
Cornock,  who  was  selected  as  an  experienced  officer, 
to  protect  the  inhabitants  of  Macomores  from  the  arm- 
ed men  closely  adjoining  their  neighborhood  ;  and  his 


324  HISTORY  OF  THE 

corps  was  accordingly  marched  from  Enniscorthy  by 
Major  Fitzgerald,  together  with  a  party  of  the  Ennis- 
corthy cavalry,  under  Lieutenant  Sparrow,  although 
there  were  five  corps  of  yeomanry  stationed  in  and 
near  Gorey.  Of  these,  that  which  attracted  the 
greatest  notice  was  under  the  command  of  Mr. 
Hunter  Gowan,  which  it  was  found  impossible 
to  restrain  from  pillage  and  slaughter.  It  was  after 
the  rebellion  was  suppressed  that  this  body  received 
appointments  as  a  cavalry  corps,  and  as  several  of 
them  were  not  owners  of  a  horse,  they  took  a  speedy 
mode  of  mounting  themselves  without  any  expense. 
They  scoured  the  country,  as  they  termed  it,  and 
brought  in  without  any  ceremony  the  horses  of  the 
wretched  cottagers.  On  a  day  of  inspection  by  Ma- 
jor Fitzgerald,  however,  the  poor  claimants  recovered 
their  horses,  and  the  motley  banditti^  as  the  major 
termed  them,  were  thus  transformed  into  dismounted 
cavalry. 

The  false  alarmists  were  not  at  all  depressed  or 
intimidated  at  these  discomfitures ;  for  although 
General  Hunter  reported  the  country  as  in  a  perfect 
state  of  tranquillity,  they  again  returned  to  the  charge 
and  renewed  their  misrepresentations.  Mr.  Haw- 
trey  White,  captain  of  the  Ballaghkeen  cavalry,  and 
a  justice  of  the  peace  for  the  county,  sent  several  in- 
formations to  government  of  the  alarming  state  of  the 
country;  and  the  commanding  officer  at  Gorey  was 
so  far  persuaded  of  the  intention  of  a  general  rising, 
that  he  quitted  the  town  and  encamped  on  the  hill 
above  it.  These  representations,  made  under  the 
semblance  of  loyalty,  and  by  a  person  bearing  the 
appearance  and  authority  of  a  gentleman,  had  not, 
however,  the  wished-for  weight  with  the  govern- 
ment. General  Hunter  was  ordered  to  inquire  into 
the  information  of  Mr.  Hawtrey  White,  and  Major 


IRISH  REBELLION.  325 

Fitzgerald  was  again  sent  out,  and  the  result  of  his 
discriminating  inquiry  was,  that  the  information  was 
unfounded.  Upon  this  the  general  ordered  Mr.  Haw- 
trey  White  to  be  brought  to  Wexford,  and  he  was 
accordingly  conducted  thither  with  the  greatest  ten- 
derness and  humanity  by  Major  Fitzgerald  ;  he  was 
then  put  under  arrest  at  his  lodgings,  although  it  was 
first  intended  to  have  sent  him  to  jail.  Mr.  White  still 
persisted  in  maintaining  that  there  was  an  encamp- 
ment of  the  rebels  (though  not  so  numerous  as  he 
had  previously  represented  it  to  be)  on  a  rock  of 
great  extent  in  the  sea,  two  miles  from  the  land, 
whither  the  rebels  retired  in  the  daytime,  after  pa- 
rading through  the  country  at  night;  and  he  express- 
ed a  wish  to  be  sent  with  a  party  by  land,  to  inter- 
cept them  in  their  progress  to  the  shore.  General 
Hunter,  however,  did  not  agree  entirely  to  this  pro- 
posal, as  he  was  apprehensive  that  the  people  of  the 
country  might  be  alarmed  at  the  appearance  of  Mr. 
White  conducting  a  military  force  ;  and  that  they 
would  be  induced  to  fly  at  his  approach,  which 
might  give  some  countenance  to  the  information  ;  but 
although  he  considered  the  island  to  be  but  imagina- 
ry, yet  in  order  that  truth  should  prevail  over  false- 
hood, he  ordered  a  gunboat  to  convey  Mr.  White  to 
the  island  he  described,  and  that  a  party  of  military 
should  be  sent  by  land  to  cut  off  the  rebels,  when  he 
should  drive  them  from  their  sea-girt  station.  In  the 
mean  time  the  captain  of  the  gunboat  had  orders  to 
bring  back  Mr.  White,  to  receive  thanks  for  his  ex- 
traordinary information,  should  it  prove  true,  and  to 
concert  further  measures  for  defence  ;  but  if  found 
otherwise,  to  be  dealt  with  accordingly.  The  sea 
and  land  expedition  failed,  in  consequence  of  the  de- 
scribed rock  being  found  covered  by  the  sea  at  the 
time,  and  of  course,  if  any  rebels  had  been  there, 
28 


326  HISTORY  OF  THE 

they  must  have  been  all  drowned,  when  this  new 
Delos  immerged  into  the  deep!  Mr.  Hawtrey  White 
was  conducted  back  to  Wexford,  and  General  Hun- 
ter determined  to  bring  him  to  a  court-martial.  Many 
gentlemen  and  ladies,  however,  interfered  in  the  most 
earnest  manner  to  prevent  this  investigation,  repre- 
senting that  Mr.  White's  great  age  might  have  sub- 
jected him  to  the  imposition  of  fabricated  informa- 
tion ;  and  the  firmness  of  the  general  relaxed  at  the 
instance  of  so  many  respectable  persons  !  !  It  is 
much  to  be  regretted  that  this  inquiry'  did  not  take 
place,  as  this  and  many  other  uncommon  occurrences 
were  variously  reported  and  believed,  in  dififerent 
shapes  and  forms,  according  to  the  bias  or  inclina- 
tion, the  prejudice  or  the  disposition  of  the  narrators. 
The  general  afterwards  regretted  his  clemency,  as 
he  was  not  sensible  at  this  period  of  the  machinations 
practised,  and  of  the  extent  of  party  prejudice,  the 
evil  effects  of  which  every  day's  experience  con- 
vinced him  too  fatally  existed  in  the  county  of  Wex- 
ford. False  alarms  are  always  productive  of  the 
greatest  mischief,  and  are  deemed  in  all  countries 
offences  of  the  most  dangerous  tendency.  Ireland 
has  suffered  much  by  the  tales  of  adventurers  in  these 
infernal  practices  ;  but  I  am  glad  to  perceive  a  grow- 
ing disposition  to  discountenance  these  pests  of  so- 
ciety, who  must,  if  continued  to  be  encouraged,  keep 
all  well-disposed  persons  in  a  constant  state  of  alarm, 
and  screen  the  malignant  intentions  of  their  original 
projectors  from  the  infamy  they  so  well  deserve. 

A  court-martial,  of  which  Lord  Ancram  was  pres- 
ident, was  instituted  at  Wexford  for  the  trial  of  per- 
sons accused  of  treason  ;  and  contrary  to  the  expec- 
tation and  wishes  of  the  committee  for  procuring  ev- 
idence, many  were  acquitted.  Lord  Ancram,  how- 
ever, soon  left  the  town,  and  his  departure  was  much 


IRISH  REBELLION.  327 

regretted  by  the  people  ;  but  his  lieutenant-colonel, 
Sir  James  Fowlis,  of  the  Mid-Lothian  cavalry,  suc- 
ceeded him  as  president  of  the  court-martial.  To 
say  merely  that  he  acquitted  himself  with  honor  and 
integrity,  would  not  be  doing  adequate  justice  to  his 
merits.  I  believe  no  judge  ever  sat  on  a  bench,  that 
displayed  more  judgment,  discrimination,  and  mercy, 
in  selecting  the  innocent  and  misled,  from  the  crim- 
inal and  the  guilty  ;  and  his  conduct  inspired  so 
much  confidence  throughout  the  country,  as  to  induce 
such  as  were  conscious  of  integrity  to  submit  to  trial, 
which  they  would  not  otherwise  dare  to  do,  from  a 
well-founded  opinion  of  the  rancor  of  their  accusers, 
who  attempted  at  first  to  warp,  and  afterwards  to 
counteract  his  upright  intentions,  which  those  who 
experienced  them  can  alone  appreciate.  Was  the 
character  of  Irishmen  such,  as  too  many  have  been 
led,  from  misrepresentation,  to  believe,  would  such 
a  dignified  character  choose  Ireland  as  his  place  of 
residence  ?  Does  it  not  rather  appear  that  the  re- 
sult of  numerous  trials  not  only  convinced  him  for 
the  instant,  but  even  left  a  lasting  impression  on  his 
mind,  that  the  people  of  Ireland  were  goaded  into 
rebellion,  notwithstanding  the  unnatural  calumnies 
of  those  whose  prejudice  and  bigotry  urge  them  to 
revile  their  country  !  !  ! 

General  Hunter's  object  of  conciliation  was  so 
evident,  that  many  insurgent  leaders  were  induced 
to  surrender  themselves  to  him,  on  obtaining  protec- 
tions. General  Edward  Roche  surrendered  on  con- 
dition of  transportation,  and  Major  Fitzgerald  accord- 
ingly brought  him  into  Wexford,  where  he  was  lodg- 
ed in  the  jail.  On  the  morning  of  the  very  day  on 
which  he  submitted,  a  rumor  had  prevailed  of  the 
landing  of  the  French  in  the  west  of  Ireland,  and  al- 
though Mr.  Roche  accredited  this  rumor,  it  did  not 


328  HISTORY  OF  THE 

prevent  him  from  surrendering.  The  landing  of  the 
French  force,  under  Humbert,  was  officially  trans- 
milted  to  General  Hunter,  and  he  was  ordered  off 
with  the  queen's  and  twenty-ninth  regiments  of  in- 
fantry. This  sudden  and  unexpected  news  created 
great  alarm,  and  many  ladies  and  gentlemen  were 
anxiously  desirous  to  quit  the  country,  as  they  had 
been  at  the  commencement  of  the  insurrection,  and 
were  actually  making  preparations  to  that  effect. 
The  county  of  Wexford  assuredly  felt  an  impression 
of  the  general  temper  of  Ireland  at  this  critical  pe- 
riod. The  inhabitants  of  the  territor)-  of  the  Maco- 
mores,  however,  (though  led  to  believe  on  the  first 
intelligence  that  their  former  enemies  would  resume 
their  plan  of  desolation,)  were  impressed  with  the 
fullest  conviction,  that  the}^  were  rescued  from  ex- 
termination by  the  interference  of  Brigade-major 
Fitzgerald,  and  the  humane  exertion  of  General 
Hunter's  authority.  Under  this  patronage  and  pro- 
lection,  therefore,  they  wished  to  remain,  (not  know- 
ing that  the  general  had  been  ordered  off;)  the  spon- 
taneous effect  of  their  feelings  on  the  occasion  was 
manifested  in  an  offer  of  their  services  to  march 
against  the  French.  The  style  and  expression  of 
their  memorials  to  Major  Fitzgerald  and  General 
Hunter,  I  will  not  attempt  to  describe  in  any  lan- 
guage but  their  ov/n  :  they  are  therefore  inserted  in 
the  Appendix  ;  and  although  altered,  perhaps,  and 
corrupted  in  style  and  orthography,  as  they  have 
come  to  me,  yet  their  force  and  sincerity  are  mani- 
fest.* 

On  the  departure  of  General  Hunter,  the  inhabit- 
ants of  this  county,  as  they  received  no  answer  to 
their  memorials,  were  so  alarmed,  that  they  sent  re- 

*  Seo  Appendix,  No.  X. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  329 

peated  remonstrances  to  Brigade-major  Fitzgerald, 
requesting  his  interference  for  protection.  The  ma- 
jor, therefore,  now  thought  it  necessary  to  consult 
Sir  James  Fowlis,  on  the  expediency  of  going  into 
the  Macomores,  and  Sir  James  esteemed  it  of  such 
material  consequence,  that  the  proposal  met  his  most 
hearty  approbation.  The  major,  however,  was  de- 
tained by  his  official  situation  for  some  days  in  Wex- 
ford ;  and  during  this  time  he  received  repeated 
messages,  informing  him  that  Holt  and  Hackett  had 
come  from  the  county  of  Wicklow,  and  were  tam- 
pering with  the  people,  and  using  every  means  in 
their  power  to  induce  them  to  proceed  with  them  to 
attack  Dublin,  which  they  represented  at  the  time 
as  destitute  of  regular  troops,  as  Lord  Cornwallis 
had  led  them  all  off  to  meet  the  French.  From  the 
general  uncertainty  of  the  public  mind  at  this  mo- 
mentous period,  with  respect  to  the  actual  strength 
of  the  invasion  ;  and  from  the  subsequent  accounts 
of  the  success  of  the  French  on  the  first  onset,  it 
may  be  very  well  supposed  that  the  minds  of  a  peo- 
ple so  lately  rescued  from  concerted  extermination 
must  be  strongly  affected,  and  ready  to  be  influenced 
by  the  solicitations  and  remonstrances  of  the  adven- 
turers who  came  among  them.  It  therefore  required 
the  utmost  address  and  energy  to  fix  their  wavering 
opinions,  and  Brigade-major  Fitzgerald  accordingly 
set  out  from  Wexford  for  this  purpose,  and  on  the 
way  he  met  different  groups  assembled  in  anxious 
uncertainty  what  to  determine.  These,  however,  on 
being  assured  by  the  major  that  neither  he  nor  Sir 
James  Fowlis  were  to  quit  Wexford,  under  whom 
the  people  were  sure  of  protection,  all  their  fears  and 
apprehensions  were  calmed.  The  major  represented 
that  if  they  left  the  country,  their  wives  and  families 
who  so  lately  escaped  extermination,  would  be  left 
28* 


330  HISTORY  OF  THE 

destitute  and  defenceless  at  the  mercy  of  their  ene- 
mies, who  would  not  fail  to  take  advantage  of  their 
absence  as  a  pretext  for  their  destruction,  and  this 
argument  prevailed.  Though  many  and  various 
were  the  opinions  Major  Fitzgerald  had  to  encounter, 
3^et  he  pursued  his  intended  course  and  arrived  that 
night  at  Donoughmore,  and  here  he  was  further  con- 
vinced of  the  representation  of  the  people.  He  heard 
the  signals  of  movement  made  by  Holt  and  Hackett ; 
but  the  people  remained  quietly  at  home,  and  suffer- 
ed these  adventurers  to  depart,  accompanied  only  by 
those  whom  they  originally  brought  along  with  them ; 
and  the  intended  attack  upon  Dublin  was  given  up 
in  consequence  of  the  Wexford  men  not  joining,  for 
much  reliance  was  had  on  their  exertions,  from  the 
courage  and  intrepidity  which  they  displayed  in  the 
course  of  the  insurrection.* 

These  incontrovertible  facts  give  the  lie  so  palpa- 
bly to  the  calumniators  of  Ireland,  that  I  cannot  help 
adducing  the  testimony  of  an  English  lawyer  of  em- 


"  Dublin,  December  14,  1802. 

*  "  Sir — I  return,  with  my  thanks  for  your  polite  attention,  your 
manuscripts  you  were  so  kind  as  to  leave  for  my  perusal.  Am  ex- 
ceedingly glad  to  find  through  the  whole  of  your  compilation,  so 
strict  an  observance  of  facts,  which  chiefly  come  under  my  cogni- 
zance as  brigade-major.  It  is  with  pleasure  I  observe  also,  your 
adherence  to  truth  and  impartiality — free  from  the  rancorous  spirit 
of  party  fabrication,  which  is  the  true  criterion  that  exalts  the  his- 
torian above  the  class  of  party  scribblers,  who  dissipate  as  rapidly 
as  unerring  truth  unveils  itself,  strongly  exemplified  in  the  past  and 
present  times.  I  give  you  much  credit  in  not  retorting  as  you 
might  for  your  unmerited  sufferings,  by  exposing  the  crimes  of  some 
.  espectable  persons ;  for,  indeed,  if  they  are  not  very  forgetful  and 
very  insensible,  the  compunctions  of  their  consciences  must  be  suf- 
ficiently tormenting.  There  is  little  doubt  of  your  labors  meeting 
their  due  reward  from  an  unprejudiced  public,  which  is  the  wiah  of 
"  Your  obedient  humble  servant, 

"  B.  E.  Fitzgerald. 

"  To  EowA&D  Hay,  Esq." 


IRISH  REBELLION.  331 

inence  nearly  two  centuries  ago,  but  very  applicable 
to  our  own  time,  of  the  character  which  llie  Irish 
have  ever  maintained.  In  1620,  Sir  John  Davies, 
then  attorney-general  in  Ireland,  published  a  work 
on  "  The  stale  of  Ireland,"  in  which  he  strongly  as- 
serts as  follows  : — "  They  will  gladly  continue  in  the 
condition  of  subjects  without  defection  or  adhering 
to  any  other  lord  or  king  as  long  as  they  may  be 
protected  and  justly  governed,  without  oppression  on 
the  one  side,  or  impunity  on  the  other ;  for  there  is 
no  nation  under  the  sun  that  doth  love  equal  and  in- 
different justice  better  than  the  Irish,  or  will  rest 
better  satisfied  with  the  execution  thereof,  although 
it  be  against  themselves,  so  as  they  may  have  the 
benefit  and  protection  of  the  law,  when  upon  just 
cause  they  do  desire  it."  And  again  he  says  what 
is  very  applicable  to  the  unfortunate  situation  of  the 
people,  "  The  Irish  were  out  of  the  protection  of  the 
law,  so  that  any  Englishman  might  oppress,  murder, 
or  spoil  them  with  impunity." 

I  cannot  omit  here  mentioning  the  case  of  Mr. 
Walter  Devereux,  who,  having  obtained  protections 
from  several  general  officers,  had  gone  to  Cork  to 
embark  for  Portugal  ;  he  was  there  taken  up,  tried, 
condemned,  and  executed.  Mr.  Gibson,  a  yeoman, 
and  wealthy  Protestant  shopkeeper,  and  Mr.  William 
Kearney,  an  extensive  brewer,  were  summoned  and 
attended  at  his  trial,  and  proved  that  he  was  in  Wex- 
ford, and  even  in  jail,  at  the  very  time  some  soldiers 
of  the  Wexford  militia  were  shot  thirty  miles  from 
that  town  ;  and  the  principal  charge  against  him  was, 
that  he  gave  orders  and  was  present  at  their  execu- 
tion, which  some  men  of  that  regiment  were  harden- 
ed enough  to  swear !  !  !  I  myself  saw  him  in  Wex- 
ford on  the  alleged  day.  He  was  also  accused  of 
aiding  and  abetting  the  abomination  at  Scullabogue, 


332  HISTORY  OF  THE 

and  this  charge  was  similarly  supported  by  the  tes- 
timony of  some  soldiers'  wives  !  and  yet  it  is  an  un- 
doubted fact,  that  he  was  all  that  day  engaged  at  the 
battle  of  Ross,  where  he  displayed  the  most  heroical 
bravery  and  courage — qualities  inconsistent  Avith  the 
odious  crime  it  was  falsely  sworn  he  had  perpetra- 
ted !  !  !  But  what  puts  the  falsehood  of  the  facts 
alleged  against  him  beyond  all  question  is,  that  after 
his  execution  another  Mr.  Devereux  was  taken  up 
on  the  discriminating  sagacity  of  the  same  witnesses 
who  prosecuted  the  former  to  death ;  but  who  now 
(as  they  said)  discovered  the  right  Devereux.  The 
trial  of  the  latter  has  been  published,  and  I  would 
recommend  its  perusal  to  such  as  wish  for  further 
proof  of  the  miserable  and  lamentable  condition  of 
those  existing  in  the  county  of  Wexford  during  the 
insurrection.  The  following  case  is  also  distinguish- 
ed for  its  peculiar  hardship  : — After  the  insurrection, 
the  Rev.  James  Dixon  was  anxious  to  spend  some 
time  with  his  step-brother,  Mr.  Denis  Butler,  a  mer- 
chant in  Bristol,  where  he  might  enjoy  that  peace 
and  tranquillity  which  the  distracted  state  of  his  na- 
tive country  wholly  precluded.  His  intentions  were 
well  known  to  the  late  Colonel  Lehunte,  who  lived 
in  the  vicinity  of  Castlebridge,  where  Mr.  Dixon  re- 
sided, and  having  therefore  the  best  possible  opportu- 
nity of  being  acquainted  with  his  unimpeachable  con- 
duct and  demeanor,  invited  him  to  accompany  his 
lady  and  family  to  England,  where  on  his  landing  he 
was  recognised  by  some  of  the  incensed  Wexford 
refugees,  who  immediately  denounced  him  as  a 
Catholic  priest.  By  this  outcry,  (and  the  prejudice 
against  his  order,)  those  on  the  beacli  were  roused 
to  inflict  severe  treatment  on  him  ;  it  is  probable  that 
these  active  prejudices  might  have  proved  fatal,  had 
not  the  providential  interposition  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 


IRISH  REBELLION.  333 

Draffen,  the  Protestant  clergyman  of  the  parish  where 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Dixon  officiated  as  a  Catholic  priest, 
interposed  in  his  favor,  protected  and  covered  him 
from  the  full  exercise  of  their  rage.  This  philan- 
thropic divine  was  as  distinguished  for  his  loyalty  as 
his  attachment  to  the  constitution  of  his  country,  and 
for  his  exemplary  piety  and  abhorrence  of  rebellion. 
This  act  of  manliness  and  goodness  on  the  part  of 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Draflen  cannot  be  too  much  extolled, 
and  while  it  manifests  the  purest  sentiments  of  Chris- 
tianity, it  cannot  fail  to  impress  the  strongest  convic- 
tion of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Dixon's  innocence,  which,  along 
with  other  representations  of  the  principal  gentlemen 
of  the  county,  laid  before  the  lord-lieutenant,  did  not 
prevent  his  transportation  to  Botany  Bay.  This  in- 
nocent clergyman  was  brought  back  from  Milford  a 
prisoner,  and  lodged  in  the  jail  of  Waterford,  where 
he  was  tried  and  condemned  on  evidence  that  is  in 
every  degree  questionable  ;  and  notwithstanding  the 
strongest  proofs  of  his  undoubted  innocence,  yet  pre- 
judice was  too  triumphant  on  this  occasion  in  pre- 
venting a  reversion  of  his  sentence. 

The  county  of  Dublin  militia,  who  had  distinguish- 
ed themselves  so  much  at  the  battle  of  Ross,  under 
the  command  of  Major  Vcsey,  w^hose  gallantry  on 
that  day  afterwards  procured  him  the  command  of 
the  regiment,  were  sent  to  Wexford ;  but  a  wound 
which  the  colonel  received  at  the  battle  of  Enniscor- 
lliy,  prevented  his  coming  with  them,  and  the  com- 
mand, as  well  as  that  of  the  town,  necessarily  de- 
volved upon  Lieutenant-colonel  Finlay.  On  the 
night  of  the  8th  of  September,  1798,  the  turnkey  of 
the  jail  went  round  along  with  the  guard,  (composed 
of  Ogle's  blues,  formerly  the  Shilmalier  infantry,) 
with  general  notice  to  all  the  prisoners,  that  if  any 
riot  should  happen  that  night  in  any  part  of  the  coun- 


334  HISTORY  OF  THE 

ty  of  Wexford,  the  prisoners  were  all  to  he  shot  f 
When  these  orders  were  so  officially  notified  to  me, 
I  desired  the  turnkey  begoiae  about  his  business,  for 
that  710  officer  ivould  give  such  orders ;  nor  could  I 
be  persuaded  that  the  orders  were  given,  until  the 
sergeant  of  the  guard  offered  to  save  me  from  the 
massacre,  as  he  said  he  had  heard  of  my  good  ac- 
tions during  the  rebellion.  I  could  not  but  express 
my  gratitude  for  such  an  offer  of  essential  service  ; 
but  I  naturally  felt  great  anxiety  at  the  gloomy  pros- 
pect before  me,  of  which  no  doubt  could  now  be  en- 
tertained. The  jailer,  whose  humanity  had  been  so 
successful  in  saving  Mr.  Bagnal  Harvey,  as  I  have 
related  on  a  former  occasion,  was  then  in  Dublin, 
being  summoned  before  parliament  to  prove  that 
fact.  I  was  therefore  necessitated  to  write  to  Brigade- 
major  Fitzgerald  an  account  of  the  transaction,  and 
he  without  loss  of  time  waited  on  Sir  James  Fowlis, 
and  both  instantly  came  down  to  the  jail,  where  upon 
inquiry  they  found  my  representation  to  be  too  true  ; 
but  they  took  measures  to  coijnteract  the  execution 
of  this  denunciation,  should  it  be  attempted.  The 
commanding  officer  of  the  town  was  supposed  at 
that  time  to  be  too  fast  asleep  (occasioned  by  a  too 
free  indulgence  of  the  bottle)  to  attend  to  any  re- 
monstrance on  the  occasion. 

The  departure  of  General  Hunter  from  W^exford 
was  an  irreparable  loss  to  the  county  ;  but  his  pres- 
ence proved  a  great  blessing  in  Kilkenny,  where  he 
displayed  his  usual  discrimination,  judgment,  and 
humanity  in  developing  and  unravelling  the  proofs 
of  the  melancholy  situation  of  the  persecuted  inhab- 
itants, who  were  consequently  impressed  with  that 
confidence  with  which  his  noble  and  manly  conduct 
never  failed  to  inspire  the  oppressed.  Although  his 
absence  was  severely  felt  in  the  county  of  Wexford, 


IRISH  REBELLION.  335 

yet  his  representation  of  its  state  to  the  government 
had  such  a  salutary  effect  as  to  prevent  alarm  from 
assuming  so  serious  or  formidable  an  aspect  as  be- 
fore. Petty  depredators,  how^ever,  still  continued 
their  usual  practices,  and  this  they  v^^ere  enabled  to 
do  with  the  greater  impunity,  as,  under  general  or- 
ders and  martial  law,  the  inhabitants  were  liable  to 
be  shot,  and  their  houses  burned,  if  discovered  out 
at  night.  The  regular  military,  with  the  yeomen 
and  their  supplementaries,  were  the  only  persons 
privileged  to  be  out  between  sunset  and  sunrise  ;  and 
as  the  latter  description  of  persons  now  received 
military  pay,  they  were  rendered  independent  of  in- 
dustry and  labor,  (which  ever  and  anon  depraves  the 
minds  of  working  people,)  and  having  the  enforce- 
ment of  the  general  orders  intrusted  to  them,  depre- 
dations and  excesses  were  committed  by  persons  un- 
known, until  the  frequency  of  robbery  and  murder 
urged  the  necessity  of  furnishing  the  country  farm- 
ers, at  the  discretion  of  the  commanding  officers, 
with  arms  for  the  defence  of  their  families  and  prop- 
erties. Some  yeomen  and  supplementaries  were 
consequently  shot  in  attempting  houses,  and  this 
plainly  discovered  who  were  the  marauders.  Indeed, 
it  must  be  observed,  that  some  outstanding  insur- 
gents were  some  time  after  taken  into  company  by 
the  primary  robbers,  and  tliat  the  rehgious  and  po- 
litical differences  of  both  parties  were  united  in  the 
consideration  of  mutual  assistance  in  robbery  and  ra- 
pine. This  multiplied  the  evil  tenfold  ;  and  motley 
gangs  of  this  description  infested  several  parts  of  the 
country  the  winter  after  the  insurrection.  This  evil 
was  remedied  in  some  degree  by  sending  out  parties 
of  soldiers  from  the  towns  into  different  parts  of  the 
country,  to  be  there  stationed  ;  and  it  was  considered 
an  indulgence  by  most  of  the  people,  that  a  soldier 


336  HISTORY  OF  THE 

was  permitted  to  quarter  upon  them,  and  his  protec- 
tion was  purchased  by  every  kind  of  care  and  sedu- 
lous attention.  It  merits  singular  observation,  that 
men  were  called  upon  to  deliver  up  the  identical 
sum  they  had  collected  or  received  by  the  sale  of 
substance  at  fair,  market,  or  by  private  hand,  on  the 
day  previous  to  the  night  of  attack  ;  and  although 
numbers  could  give  information  against  the  perpetra- 
tors of  these  enormities,  yet  they  preferred  silence 
of  their  wrongs  to  the  risk  of  being  murdered  or 
burned  intheir  houses,  which  others  had  experienced, 
and  with  which  all  were  threatened  if  they  would 
dare  to  inform. 

The  orange  system  now  became  very  prevalent 
throughout  the  county  of  Wexford,  and  was  strength- 
ened by  the  accession  of  almost  ever}^  Protestant  in 
it ;  this  general  promotion  was  forwarded  by  a  re- 
ceived prejudice,  that  no  man  could  be  loyal  who 
was  not  an  Orangeman.  Doctor  Jacob,  who  was 
captain  of  a  yeomanr>^  corps  in  Wexford,  however, 
did  not  deem  it  at  first  an  essential  of  loyalty  to  be- 
come an  Orangeman ;  but  he  was  afterwards  in- 
duced to  alter  his  opinion,  by  a  resolution  entered 
into  by  a  majority  of  his  corps,  that  they  would  re- 
sign if  he  would  not  join  the  association.  Not  will- 
ing, therefore,  to  possess  the  mere  empty  title  of 
captain,  he  condescended  to  gratify  their  wishes. 

It  has  not  yet  come  to  pass,  that  any  political  as- 
sociation has  invariably  adhered  to  the  principles  that 
dictated  their  original  formation  ;  as  some  individuals 
generally  dictate  to  the  body  at  large,  and  raise 
themselves  to  consequence  by  the  support  of  their 
adherents,  who  cannot  recede  without  deviating  from 
an  avowed  principle  of  honor,  which  binds  them  to- 
gether ;  and  the  society  thus  shoves  its  leaders  into 
consequence,  and  these  frequently,  when  they  find 


IRISH  REBELLION  337 

another-  opportunity  of  benefiting  themselves,  secede 
and  make  way  for  new  adventurers  to  succeed  them, 
and  the  same  routine  takes  place,  so  that  the  individ- 
uals of  a  political  society  are  so  far  not  their  own 
masters,  but  are  led  on  by  party  on  various  occa- 
sions, to  give  public  sanction  to  what  they  inwardly 
disapprove.  I  however  know  valuable  and  estimable 
characters  possessing  the  utmost  integrity,  members 
of  political  societies,  and  whose  motives  and  conduct 
are  unexceptionable  ;  and  although  I  approved  of 
their  principles  and  actions,  yet  I  have  ever  and  al- 
ways avoided  entering  into  any  political  society, 
from  a  consideration,  that  I  might  thereby  be  obhged 
to  surrender  my  opinion  contrary  to  my  inclination, 
and  would  not,  therefore,  feel  myself  thoroughly  in- 
dependent. From  a  review  of  the  many  and  various 
political  societies  and  parties  in  this  unaccountable 
age,  I  have  observed,  that  in  the  most  perilous  times 
well-disposed  persons,  unconnected  with  party,  have 
escaped,  where  others,  venturing  into  societies,  have 
been  cut  off,  for  no  other  reason  but  their  association 
has  been  inimical  to  some  other  that  in  the  turn  of 
affairs  gained  an  ascendency  ;  and  tlms  has  one  po- 
litical society  risen  on  the  destruction  of  another  ; 
while  a  true  lover  of  his  country,  individually  enga- 
ged in  the  pursuit  of  whatever  is  for  its  advantage, 
has  outlived  the  storm.  Most  political  societies  avow 
their  sentiments  publicly,  with  a  view  of  obtaining 
general  approbation  ;  my  information  does  not,  how- 
ever, enable  me  to  give  a  sketch  of  the  two  rival  so- 
cieties of  United  Irishmen  and  Orangemen^  whose 
rivalry  has  indeed  been  productive  of  such  serious 
consequences  in  Ireland.  I  must  therefore  refer  my 
readers  to  the  memoir  and  examination  of  Messrs. 
O'Connor,  Emmett,  and  M'Neven,  published  in 
London  and  Dublin,  since  the  rebellion,  as  the  most 
29 


338  HISTORY  OF  THE 

authentic  account  extant  of  the  rise,  progress,  and 
ultimate  views  of  llie  former  society  ;  but  I  must 
also  observe,  that  the  utmost  extent  of  the  informa- 
tion during  the  insurrection  in  the  county  of  Wex- 
ford was  the  oath  of  admission  and  secrecy  :  and 
with  respect  to  the  latter  society,  I  can  make  no  au- 
thentic reference  whatever. 

Orange  associations  became  at  length  so  general 
and  indiscriminate,  that  their  members  could  by  no 
means  be  considered  capable  of  constituting  a  select 
assemblage,  as  multitudes  of  them  were  of  the  lowest 
and  uninformed  vulgar,  and  of  course  subject  to  the 
weakest  passions,  prejudices,  and  frailties  of  human 
nature.  Many  of  them  certainly  did  no  honor  to  the 
association  ;  but  it  must  be  also  said  of  United  Irish- 
men, that  individuals  of  them,  contrary  to  the  avow- 
ed principles  of  union  and  brotherhood,  which  they 
were  sworn  to  preserve,  disgraced  themselves  by  acts 
quite  opposite  to  the  spirit  of  their  institution.  Free- 
masonry, though  very  generally  embraced  through- 
out Ireland,  has  yet  escaped  similar  imputation,  which 
I  believe  is  owing  to  its  being  rather  a  social  and 
moral  than  political  fraternity. 

I  have  conversed  with  many  gentlemen  who 
avowed  themselves  Orangemen,  and  whose  conduct 
and  principles  I  have  every  reason  to  suppose  hon- 
orable ;  yet,  I  have  heard  them  declare,  that  they 
would  by  no  means  graduate  in  the  society,  but  re- 
main in  the  state  of  simple  Orangemen.  I  do  not 
mean,  however,  in  any  degree  to  compare  these  hon- 
orable men  to  the  Orange  informers  in  Wexford,  on 
the  20th  of  June,  1798,  wlio  said  they  had  not  taken 
the  purple  degree  of  the  order.  How  the  conduct  of 
persons  assuming  the  name  of  Orangemen,  in  the 
county  of  Wexford,  may  be  viewed  by  the  associa- 
tion at  large,  I  know  not ;  but  truth  imposes  on  me 


IRISH  REBELLION.  339 

the  task  of  relating  the  melancholy  consequences  of 
the  conduct  of  sonae  who  avowed  themselves  Orange- 
men. After  the  insurrection  in  the  county  of  Wex- 
ford was  suppressed,  Orangemen  wore  ribands  and 
medals  without  any  disguise  ;  and  on  the  death  of  an 
Orangeman,  the  general  decorations  of  black  were 
laid  aside,  and  orange  substituted  at  their  wakes  and 
funerals.  After  the  interment,  houses  have  been 
burned,  alleged  to  be  in  retaliation  for  the  previous 
conduct  of  croppies  whose  houses  were  adjacent  to 
the  churchyard.  Not  unfrequently,  on  the  night  of 
a  well-attended  funeral,  or  after  a  rejoicing  day,  a 
Catholic  chapel  was  consumed,  and  the  frequency  of 
these  conflagrations  manifests  the  most  rancorous 
spirit  of  intolerance  and  inveterate  party-prejudice  ! ! ! 
What  makes  these  transactions  more  lamentable  is, 
that  not  a  single  person  has  as  yet  been  punished  or 
even  arrested  for  the  perpetration  of  these  crimes. 
Is  it  possible  this  could  be  the  case  but  through  the 
supineness  of  the  magistracy  ?  How  could  the  rep- 
etition and  impunity  of  such  acts  be  otherwise  ac- 
counted for,  but  from  their  not  doing  their  duty?  and 
does  not  such  neglect  necessarily  imply  connivance  ? 
From  my  knowledge  of  the  country,  I  would  venture 
to  stake  my  existence,  that  I  would  discover  the  per- 
petrators, had  I  the  assistance  of  an  English  or  Scotch 
regiment  to  protect  those  who  could  give  information 
from  the  merciless  fury  of  these  incendiaries  ;  and  it 
is  much  to  the  disgrace  of  the  country  that  this  is  not 
accomplished.  A  reward  of  one  hundred  pounds 
was  offered  for  the  discovery  of  those  that  had  burned 
Catholic  chapels  by  the  grand-jury  of  the  county  of 
Wexford,  at  the  summer  assizes  in  1799,  published 
in  some  Dublin  papers,  which,  however,  produced 
no  information. 


340 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


Chapels  burned  in  the  county  of  Wexford  and  diocese  of  FernSf 
with  the  dates  of  their  respective  conflagration. 


Boole  vogue, 

May  27, 

1798 

Ballegarret, 

Jan.  15, 

1799 

Maglass, 

May  30, 

1798 

Ballinanionabeg. 

,  Jan.  18, 

1799 

Ramsgrange, 

June  19, 

1798 

Askamore, 

Feb.  24, 

1799 

Drumgold, 

June  21, 

1798 

Murntown, 

Apr.  24, 

1799 

Ballemurrin, 

June  do.. 

1798 

Monamoling, 

May  3, 

1799 

Gorey, 

Aug.  24, 

1798 

Kilrush, 

May  15, 

1799 

Annacurragh, 

Sept.  2, 

1798 

Marsh  alstown. 

Ju.  8or9, 

,  1799 

Crane, 

Sept.  17, 

1798 

Munfin, 

June  do. 

1799 

Rock, 

Oct.  12, 

1798 

Crossabeg, 

June  24, 

1799 

Balleduff, 

Oct.  19, 

1798 

Killeneerin, 

June  29, 

1799 

Riverchapel, 

Oct.  do.. 

1798 

Monageer, 

July  1, 

1799 

Monaseed, 

Oct.  25, 

1798 

Kiltayley, 

Oct.  1, 

1799 

Clologue, 

Oct.  26, 

1798 

Glanbryan, 

Mar.  13, 

1799 

Killeveny, 

Nov.  11, 

1798 

Kaim, 

Sept.  3, 

1800 

Ferns, 

Nov.  18, 

1798 

Ballimackesey, 

Sept. 

1800 

Oulart, 

Nov.  28, 

1798 

Courtenacuddy, 

Aug.  13, 

1801 

Castletown, 

Nov. 

1798 

The  Protestant  church  of  Old  Ross  was  burned  on  the  second  of 
June,  1798. 


These  and  many  other  shocking  deeds  could  not 
have  been  constantly  reiterated  throughout  the  coun- 
try, were  the  magistrates  willing  to  do  their  duty ; 
and  it  is  astonishing  that  the  country  gentlemen  could 
so  far  forget  their  own  real  interests,  which  are  su- 
perseded by  the  narrow  and  prejudiced  notions  with 
which  they  are  blindfolded.  It  will  scarcely  be  be- 
lieved that  such  neglect  was  possible  ;  and  the  gen- 
tlemen themselves  v/ill  lament  it  hereafter,  when 
they  come  to  their  sober  recollections,  and  feel  the 
melancholy  effects  of  religious  prejudice,  in  the  in- 
evitable consequences  of  leaving  such  acts  unpunish- 
ed ;  which  although  they  did  not  actually  commit 
themselves,  yet  they  have  encouraged  them  by  their 
inactivity  and  negligence. 

It  is  to  be  observed  that  the  insurrection  was  com- 
pletely suppressed  in  the  county  of  Wexford,  in  June, 


IRISH  REBELLION.  341 

1798,  previous  to,  and  during  which  period,  five 
CathoHc  chapels  appear  to  have  been  burnt,  and  the 
remaining  conflagrations  took  place  when  the  coun- 
try was  not  disturbed  by  any  other  transactions  but 
these  enormities,  perpetrated  when  the  utmost  tran- 
quillity otherwise  prevailed.  Various  depredations 
and  excesses  were  also  committed  through  the  coun- 
try. Murders  were  prevalent,  houses  were  burnt, 
and  notices  were  posted  on  the  doors  of  many  Cath- 
olics, desiring  them  to  quit  their  habitations,  of  a 
similar  tendency  with  those  in  the  county  of  Armagh 
in  the  year  1795.  The  notices  in  the  counties  of 
Wexford  and  Wicklow,  prevalent  in  1798,  1799,  and 
1800,  were  conceived  pretty  nearly  in  the  following 

terms  : — "  A B ,  we  give  you  notice  in  six 

days  to  quit — or  if  you  donUt^  by  G — ,  we  ivill  visit 
your  house  with  fire,  and  yourself  with  lead.  We 
are  the  grinders — Moll  Doyle's  true  grandsons^ 

These  and  such  like  notices  were  posted  on  the 
doors  of  Catholics  in  the  night,  and  many  quitted 
their  houses  and  habitations  in  consequence  of  some 
of  these  threats  being  put  into  actual  execution.  I 
shall  cite  an  example  of  these  dreadful  practices,  ex- 
emplified in  the  case  of  Mr.  Swiny,  a  Protestant  gen- 
tleman, who  resided  for  several  years  in  Yorkshire, 
and  had  an  estate  called  Court,  between  Oulart  and 
Ballecanow,  which  was  tenanted  by  many  Catholics, 
whose  leases  expired  in  1799  ;  but  who,  by  the  pre- 
vailing system,  were  rendered  incapable  to  retake 
their  farms,  as  their  houses  were  all  burned,  and  all 
the  property  they  possessed  destroyed  ;  but  what 
manifested  this  business  quite  systematic  was,  that 
notices  were  posted  up  afterwards  through  the  coun- 
try, purporting  that  no  papist  should  presume  to  take 
the  lands  ;  and  that,  if  even  a.  son  of  Moll  Doyle 
should  offer  more  than  half-a-guinea  an  acre,  (worth 
29* 


342  HISTORY  OF  THE 

fifty  shillings,)  he  should  forfeit  all  privileges  of  the 
fraternity,  and  undergo  the  same  punishment  for  his 
transgression  as  if  he  ivas  a  papist.  The  lands  of 
Court  thus  proscribed,  remained  waste  for  nearly 
two  years  !  Is  it  not  melancholy  to  reflect  that  this 
and  many  such  manifest  outrages,  but  more  preva- 
lent in  the  Macomores  than  any  other  part  of  the 
county,  did  not  rouse  the  feelings  of  landlords,  at  a 
lime  that  their  own  interests  were  so  closely  con- 
nected with  the  suppression  of  such  deeds  ?  And 
yet  the  tribe  of  middlemen  seems  to  have  so  much 
influence,  as  to  be  able  still  to  keep  up  the  like  oc- 
currences, in  the  hope  that  they  might  benefit  by  the 
destruction  or  banishment  of  the  great  majority  of  the 
people.  Miserable  poHcy,  that  low  minds  alone,  de- 
based by  prejudice,  can  harbor  !  These  cannot  be 
sensible  that  the  population  of  a  country  constitutes 
its  principal  advantage,  and  is  what  enables  them  to 
raise  themselves  on  a  foundation  of  which  they  medi- 
tate the  destruction,  and  thus  endanger  the  super- 
structure which  they  wish  to  enjoy  ;  not  perceiving 
that  it  must  totter,  when  so  undermined,  and  involve 
themselves  in  the  general  ruin  ! 

Courts-martial  continued  to  sit  in  Wexford  for 
nearly  three  years  after  the  insurrection,  although  the 
regular  assizes  and  general  jail  delivery  were  re- 
sumed in  the  spring  of  1799.  Prisoners  confined  in 
the  jail  of  We'xford  were  parcelled  out  into  diff'erent 
lots,  to  be  tried  by  the  civil  and  military  tribunals, 
according  to  the  discrimination  of  tlie  gentlemen  of 
the  county  !  Others  have  been  arraigned  at  an  as- 
sizes, and  on  showing  legal  cause,  had  their  trials 
put  off  to  the  next ;  when  the  judge  has  called  for 
prisoners  not  produced,  although  returned  on  the 
crown-book,  then  it  has  been  discovered  that  they 
had  been  handed  over  to  a  military  tribunal,  and  ac- 


IRISH  REBELLION.  343 

cording  to  their  sentences  had  been  transported  or 
hanged.  With  the  utmost  respect  and  veneration,  I 
look  up  to  that  great  bulwark  of  the  constitution, 
TRIAL  BY  JURY  J  and  shall  always  esteem  juries  less 
liable  to  bias,  than  any  other  mode  of  trial.  How- 
ever, it  so  came  to  pass  in  the  county  of  Wexford, 
from  various  occurrences  that  took  place,  that  many 
prisoners  preferred  to  be  tried  by  a  military  rather 
than  a  civil  tribunal,  which  the  conduct  of  Sir  James 
Fowlis  contributed  to  inculcate.  It  would,  however, 
be  great  injustice  not  to  mention  that  the  judges  of 
the  realm  who  presided  in  the  criminal  court  in  Wex- 
ford distinguished  themselves  by  their  benevolent 
humanity,  and  the  most  liberal  construction  of  the 
amnesty  bill  ;  and  whenever  religious  prejudice  or 
party  spirit  broke  out,  they  were  not  backward  in 
expressing  their  dissatisfaction  :  they  supported  their 
just  judgment  with  manly  dignity,  and  by  their  re- 
commendations rescued  some  from  execution,  on 
whom  the  laws  of  the  land  obliged  them  to  pronounce 
sentence,  and  thus  were  actuated  by  the  god-like  vir- 
tues of  justice  and  mercy.  I  most  sincerely  hope 
no  other  opportunity  may  ever  occur  of  making  any 
comparison  between  courts-martial  and  trial  by  jury. 
God  grant  that  juries  will  ever  hold  in  their  minds 
the  true  spirit  of  impartiality,  and  then  we  shall  ever 
consider  them  as  the  true  basis  of  a  free  constitu- 
tion. 

Another  kind  of  depredators  made  their  appear- 
ance in  the  county  of  Wexford  in  the  course  of  the 
winter  of  1798  and  1799  :  they  assembled  in  the 
wood  of  Kilaughrim,  between  Enniscorthy  and  Scol- 
lagh-gap,  and  were  denominated,  among  other  appel- 
lations, "  the  babes  of  the  wood^  Independent  of 
some  outstanding  insurgents,  deserters  from  difl'erent 
regiments  associated  in  this  band ;  and  they  levied 


344  HISTORY  Oi*  THB 

small  contributions  throughout  the  country.  Those 
immediately  in  their  vicinity  were  to  supply  their 
quota  in  provisions  ;  while  those  at  a  distance  were 
called  upon  for  money,  which  was  supplied  in  general 
without  opposition,  to  avoid  greater  violation  ;  as 
they,  for  the  most  part,  behaved  civilly  if  freely  given, 
and  did  not  at  all  pursue  the  merciless  conduct  of 
the  depredators  already  noticed. 

Different  military  detachments  were  sent  out  from 
Ross  and  Enniscorthy,  and  these  endeavored  to  sur- 
round the  extensive  woods  of  Kilaughrim,  supposed 
to  contain  them,  but  their  efforts  proved  fruitless,  as 
ihey  never  could  come  up  with  the  hahes  in  the 
wood  ;  who  generally  had  a  rendezvous  in  the  night, 
and  dispersed  towards  morning  into  such  a  variety  of 
lurking-places,  that  but  few  of  them  were  apprehend- 
ed, and  though  several  plans  for  their  annihilation  were 
contrived,  they  all  proved  ineffectual.  The  activity  of 
Brigade-major  Fitzgerald  was  again  called  forward, 
and  he  brought  them  to  a  consent  of  surrender  ;  but, 
however,  since  the  recall  of  General  Hunter,  who 
would  have  immediately  put  a  final  stop  to  their  pro- 
ceedings, (his  absence  on  this  occasion  was  produc- 
tive of  serious  evil,)  instead  of  the  hahes  of  the  wood 
surrendering  on  condition  of  being  suffered  to  enlist 
in  the  army,  they  continued  their  predatory  system, 
during  which  they  were  occasionally  visited  by  Holt 
and  Hackett,  and  some  of  their  associates  ;  but  most 
of  them  at  last  surrendered  to  Captain  Robinson  of 
the  South  Cork  militia.  Some  of  these  were  sent  to 
Prussia,  others  enlisted  into  different  regiments,  and 
some  were  executed  at  Newtownbarry.  A  few  who  did 
not  surrender,  not  thinking  it  prudent  to  continue  in 
their  old  haunts,  abandoned  the  county  of  Wexford, 
and  joined  the  marauders  in  the  county  of  Wicklow. 

Estimates  of  the  actual  damages  in  consequence 


IRISH  REBELLION.  345 

of  the  conflagration  of  the  Catholic  chapels  were 
made  out  by  order  of  the  governaient  of  Ireland,  and 
the  sums  so  awarded  paid  out  of  the  treasury  for  re- 
building them.  Many  persons  who  at  stated  times 
had  received  certain  proportions  of  their  losses  during 
the  rebelhon,  have  bitterly  complained,  and  express- 
ed their  apprehensions  that  the  rebuilding  of  the 
Catholic  chapels  was  to  be  defrayed  out  of  the  fund 
for  the  relief  of  the  suffering  loyalists.  This  scheme 
of  supply  must  be  considered  very  political,  had  it 
the  effect  of  preventing  the  reiteration  of  these  enor- 
mities, which  many  consider  it  had.  Government 
has  thus  interposed  in  favor  of  ^^uhlic  Catholic  pro- 
perty. I  therefore  cannot  conceive  it  is  intended  to 
exclude  Catholics  individually ;  yet  it  is  almost  ex- 
clusively the  case  in  the  county  of  Wexford,  occa- 
sioned by  the  existing  deep-rooted  religious  preju- 
dice !  Was  the  conduct  of  these  public  accusers  to 
undergo  the  same  scrutiny  they  have  subjected  others 
to,  they  would  not  appear  in  so  favorable  a  light  to 
the  world  as  they  wish  to  maintain.  Poor  claimants 
have  been  constrained  to  prosecute  against  their  in- 
clinations, to  prove  their  loyalty  sufficiently  not  to 
exclude  them  from  payment  !  I  therefore  miagine 
that  all  Catholics  against  whom  there  does  not  exist 
any  charge  but  general  prejudice,  ought  not  to  be 
debarred  of  this  privilege,  as  well  as  all  those  who  on 
trial  have  been  honorably  acquitted,  as  many  have 
withheld  their  just  claims  from  the  apprehension  of 
the  general  prejudice  entertained  against  Catholics. 
The  case  of  Mr.  Edmund  Stafford  is  pecuharly  ap- 
posite. This  gentleman  claimed  as  a  suffering  loy- 
alist, and  I  am  confident  no  person  in  the  county  was 
more  deserving  of  that  title  ;  yet  for  daring  to  do  so, 
he  was  accused  and  arraigned  for  murder,  on  the 
discriminating  sagacity  of  evidence  that  had  been  the 


346  HISTORY  OF  THE 

cause  of  the  execution  of  many,  but  whose  villany 
was  not  puhliclt/  known,  until  the  trial  of  Mr.  Staf- 
ford could  not  be  put  off,  and  he  was  discharged 
without  trial,  after  a  confinement  of  several  months, 
for  presuming  to  enrol  his  name  among  the  suffering 
loyalists. 

Although  the  conduct  of  the  militia  regiments,  it 
might  be  naturally  hoped,  was  such  as  to  defy  the 
possibility  of  any  reflection  on  their  behavior;  yet 
prejudice  operated  so  strongly  in  some  of  them,  that 
the  officers  behaved  in  so  partial  a  manner  as  to  in- 
duce Catholics  particularly  to  offer  themselves  as 
volunteers  to  serve  in  different  regiments  of  the  line. 
These  afterwards  formed  a  considerable  part  of  the 
army  sent  to  Egypt.  Many,  who  were  doomed  to 
transportation,  were  also  sent  on  that  expedition. 
Then  it  was  considered  a  fortunate  circumstance  that 
these  were  sent  out  of  Ireland  ;  not  from  any  idea, 
however,  that  they  would  have  been  the  means  of 
redounding  to  the  fame  of  the  British  army,  and  im- 
mortalizing their  glory,  by  the  courage  and  intrepid- 
ity they  displayed  ;  that  must  forever  silence  their 
indiscriminate  calumniators.  I  wish  those  who  have 
been  in  the  habit  of  dealing  out  illiberal  opinions  re- 
specting Irish  Catholics,  may  keep  the  conduct  of 
these  in  recollection,  as  it  may  induce  them  to  join 
in  praise  of  men  whom  they  ought  to  endeavor  to 
imitate.  They  might  thus  too  become,  sensible  of 
the  inestimable  value,  to  any  country,  of  such  men, 
as,  with  proper  encouragement,  would  be  invincible, 
and  so  prove  the  most  impenetrable  bulwark  and  con- 
sequent support  to  the  constitution  ;  far  superior  to 
any  thing  which  the  system  of  coercion  can  possibly 
effect,  and  this  irrefragable  truth,  I  hope,  may  have 
its  due  weight. 

At  the  summer  assizes  of  Wexford  in  1801,  James 


IRISH  REBELLION.  347 

Redmond  was  tried  and  condemned  for  the  murder 
of  the  Rev.  Robert  Burroughs,  a  Protestant  clergy- 
man, at  Oulard,  on  Whitsunday  the  27th  of  May, 
1798;  and  pursuant  to  his  sentence,  was  executed 
on  the  30th  of  July,  and  his  body  delivered  to  the 
surgeons,  who  after  dissecting  it  permitted  it  to  be 
taken  away,  and  it  was  buried.  The  corpse  was 
dug  up  out  of  its  grave,  and  placed  in  the  shed  erect- 
ed for  the  priest  to  officiate,  on  the  site  of  the  Cath- 
olic chapel  of  Monamoling,  which  had  been  burned. 
This  exhibition  was  not  discovered  till  the  congrega- 
tion had  assembled  to  hear  mass  on  the  Sunday  fol- 
lowing— the  3d  of  August,  1801.  Although  this 
man  was  guilty  of  murder,  yet  there  is  something  so 
vastly  shocking  in  disturbing  the  dead  in  their  graves, 
and  repugnant  to  human  nature,  that  the  vilest  of 
pikemen  never  were  guilty  of  such  a  transaction  in 
all  their  uncontrollable  sway.  Independent  of  the 
savage  disposition  of  this  occurrence,  the  disregard 
for  religion  is  so  manifest,  that  it  is  the  more  lament- 
able, as  it  keeps  alive  those  prejudices  which  it  is  so 
much  the  interest  of  all  parties  to  suppress. 

The  ratification  of  the  treaty  of  peace  with  the 
French  republic,  has  brought  back  many  who  were 
distinguished  in  fighting  for  their  countr>^  in  the  navy 
and  army  ;  and  these,  upon  their  return  home,  found 
many  of  their  relatives  destroyed  ;  and  on  being  in- 
formed who  the  depredators  were,  they  were  induced 
to  accost  them  at  different  fairs  and  patrons  through- 
out the  country,  intimating  that  they  had  proved 
themselves  loyal  men  by  fighting  the  enemies  of  their 
country,  and  not  by  murdering  their  neighbors  or 
friends,  or  burning  their  houses.  These  altercations 
constantly  produced  fights,  and  the  result,  though  it 
has  disturbed  the  public  peace,  yet  has  corrected,  in 
some  degree,    the   overbearing  contempt  in  which 


348  HISTORY  OF  THE 

some  high-spoken  gentry  held  the  generahty  of  the 
people,  whom  they  now  condescend  to  respect 
through  these  their  relatives  ;  nay,  they  treat  with 
more  reserve  some  of  the  very  insurgents  who  have 
returned  from  transportation,  after  having  obliterated 
all  stain  of  previous  political  delinquency  by  their 
subsequent  exploits  in  the  service  of  their  country — 
and  thus  do  the  brave  ever  awe  cowards  into  shame 
and  submission  !  The  rooted  aversion,  however, 
which  has  been  by  various  means  encouraged  and 
inculcated  against  the  great  body  of  the  people,  has 
led  many  to  adopt  the  most  illiberal  expressions ;  and 
I  am  sorry  to  learn,  that  both  in  high  and  low  life  it 
is  a  prevalent  notion  to  deplore  the  existence  of  the 
amnesty  bill,  as  it  precludes  the  accomplishment  of 
the  views  of  exterminating  those  who  are  protected 
by  it  from  indiscriminating  vengeance.  Those  who 
make  use  of  such  language  seem  to  have  no  notion 
of  the  crimes  which  call  to  heaven  for  vengeance  ! 
I  would  recommend  to  those  who  express  such  an 
illiberal  and  shocking  sentiment  to  reflect  seriously, 
whether  they  are  not  protected  by  the  indemnity  bills, 
as  they  might  otherwise  be  exhibited  on  the  gibbet. 
Let  these  unreflecting  assertors  of  prejudice  look  to 
the  fate  of  Governor  Wall  of  Goree.  The  recur- 
rence of  their  own  deeds  to  their  minds,  by  such  a 
contemplation,  may,  perhaps,  produce  hearty  contri- 
tion for  their  past  misconduct,  and  may  induce  them 
to  make  what  reparation  remains  in  their  power  for 
the  many  injuries,  in  various  shapes,  which  they 
have  committed  !  Though  justice  did  not  overtake 
the  governor  of  Goree  for  twenty  years,  yet  then  the 
recital  of  his  horrid  crime  of  ordering  a  soldier,  whom 
he  considered  refractory,  to  be  lashed,  which  pro- 
duced death,  roused  the  English  nation,  and  exem- 
plary punishment  was   the  consequence  !      If  this 


IRISH  REBELLION.  349 

solitary  case,  which  regarded  a  distant  colony,  excited 
so  much  indignation  in  the  breasts  of  Englishmen, 
can  the  same  people  overlook  similar  and  greater 
deeds  of  atrocity  committed  a  thousand  times  over 
against  the  Irish,  nov;^  incorporated  with  themselves  ? 
Can  the  feelings  of  any  wise,  just,  and  good  man  be 
withheld  from  most  earnest  endeavors  to  contribute 
all  in  his  power  to  the  coalescence  and  harmony  of 
all  parts,  as  well  as  of  all  ranks  of  the  united  king- 
dom ?  and  if  that  desirable  object  be  attainable — and 
I  do  believe  that  by  proper  management  it  can  be 
effected — who  is  the  monster  that  will  oppose  its  ac- 
complishment ?  But  it  must  not,  it  cannot  be  op- 
posed. A  merciful  and  benevolent  sovereign,  whose 
throne  is  now  supported  by  consolidated  dominion, 
and  the  united  attachment  of  all  his  people,  will  not 
suffer  so  valuable  a  portion  of  them,  as  the  great 
majority  of  the  Irish,  to  be  debased  and  degraded  by 
thraldom  the  most  intolerable,  while  they  are  deemed 
to  man  his  fleets  and  armies  in  a  proportion  greater 
than  the  one-half,  and  display  the  most  unrivalled 
bravery  in  his  service,  bearing  terror  and  dismay  to 
his  enemies.  He  will  certainly  recommend  them  for 
relief  from  oppression  to  his  imperial  parliament, 
who  will  not  forfeit  the  character  of  wisdom  and  jus- 
tice, or  the  name  of  the  most  dignified  legislature  on 
earth,  by  being  swayed  by  the  tales  of  rancor,  mis- 
representation, and  prejudice.  They  will  redress, 
as  truth  and  reason  direct,  a  magnanimous  and  vir- 
tuous people,  groaning  under  a  partial  tyranny,  in 
the  midst  of  an  empire  denominated  free,  to  which 
they  would  be  an  incalculable  accession  of  strength, 
if  protected  from  oppression,  persecution,  torture, 
and  the  dread  of  threatened  and  meditated  extermi- 
nation— if  secured  effectually  in  their  lives,  liberties, 
and  properties,  without  impeachment  of  their  religion 
30 


350  HISTORY  OF  THE  IRISH  REBELLION. 

and  principles  ;  but  should  this  be  neglected  and 
their  grievances  left  a  galling  incumbrance  upon 
them,  in  consequence  of  malevolent  and  fabricated 
calumnies,  there  will  surely  abide  a  rankling  discon- 
tent, likely  at  all  times  to  produce  disturbance  and 
distraction,  which  must  necessarily  weaken  and  par- 
alyze the  energies  of  the  state,  and  perhaps  eventu- 
ally annihilate  the  connection  between  these  coun- 
tries. I  would  earnestly  advise  the  most  violent  and 
unthinking  supporters  of  division  to  consider  their 
own  real  interests  as  connected  and  involved  with 
the  peace  and  happiness  of  the  nation,  (which  an  im- 
partial picture  of  the  miseries  experienced  can  best 
inculcate,)  as  well  as  to  dissipate  the  misconceptions 
of  error,  and  to  disprove  the  false  representations 
which  have  been  sent  abroad,  with  zealous  industry, 
to  impose  on  and  mislead  public  feeling. 

My  real  object  and  earnest  wishes  are  for  concili- 
ation ;  but  if  a  doubt  can  possibly  arise  respecting 
my  statements,  I  can  only  say  that  I  could  detail 
more  numerous  enormities  than  I  have,  and  of  which 
I  entertain  as  little  doubt  as  of  those  I  have  related. 
I  have  therefore  confined  myself  to  facts  and  circum- 
stances vouched  to  me  beyond  the  possibility  of 
doubt,  for  which  I  can  produce  good  authorities,  and 
on  this  occasion  limit  my  narrative  to  my  native  dis- 
trict, where  my  local  and  personal  knowledge  were 
least  liable  to  deception  or  misinformation ;  and 
should  the  members  of  both  houses  of  the  imperial 
parliament  deem  it  necessary,  in  their  wisdom,  to  in- 
vestigate the  truth  decisively,  I  will  stake  my  exist- 
ence that  my  relation  shall  be  found,  on  an  impartial 
scrutiny,  extremely  moderate. 


THE  FOLLOWING  ARE  ABSTRACTS  FROM  PLOW- 
DEN,  TEELING,  GORDON,  AND  MADDEN. 


The  French  entered  the  bay  of  Killala  under  Eng- 
lish colors,  commanded  by  General  Humbert,  on  the 
22d  of  August,  and  the  feint  succeeded  so  well,  that 
two  sons  of  the  bishop  of  Killala  threw  themselves 
into  a  fishing-boat,  with  the  port  surveyor,  Mr.  Jas. 
Rutledge,  and  were  presently  surprised  to  find  them- 
selves prisoners.  Some  alarm  had  been  given  in  the 
morning  of  the  22d,  to  the  people  of  Killala,  by  the 
unusual  appearance  of  ships  of  that  size  in  their  bay  ; 
insomuch  that  the  only  magistrate  of  the  town,  Mr. 
Kirkwood,  who  commanded  the  yeomanry,  had  kept 
his  corps  under  arms  the  whole  day  at  the  seahouse, 
called  the  castle,  as  did  also  Lieutenant  Sells,  of  the 
Prince  of  Wales'  Fencibles,  with  20  militiamen. 
Yeomen  and  fencibles  together  formed  a  corps  of 
50  men,  all  Protestants.  Intelligence  having  arrived 
that  near  300  of  them  were  within  a  mile  of  the 
town,  the  cavalry  officer  rode  off  directly,  in  full 
speed,  with  the  intelligence  to  Ballina.  The  yeo- 
manry and  fencibles  drew  up  before  the  castle  gate, 
and  resolutely  advanced  into  the  main  street  to  meet 
the  French  advance  guard.  Borne  down  by  num- 
bers, and  seeing  two  of  their  corps  fall,  they  were 
seized  whh  a  panic,  and  fled.  Kirkwood  and  19 
yeomen  were  taken,  and  ordered  into  close  custody 
at  the  castle.  All  opposition  being  now  at  an  end, 
the  French  general  marched  into  the  castle  yard  at 
the  head  of  his  officers,  and  demanded  to  see  the 
bishop,  who,  fortunately,  was  conversant  with  the 
French  language.  Humbert  desired  him  to  be  un- 
der no  apprehension  for  himself  or  his  people  ;  they 
should  be  treated  with  respectful  attention,  and  noth- 


352  ABSTRACTS    FROM 

ing  should  be  taken  by  the  French  troops,  but  what 
was  absolutely  necessary  for  their  support ;  a  pro- 
mise which,  as  long  as  those  troops  continued  in 
Killala,  was  most  religiously  observed.  On  the 
morning  after  his  arrival,  Humbert  began  his  mili- 
tary operations,  by  pushing  forward  to  Ballina  a  de- 
tachment of  100  men,  40  of  whom  he  had  mounted 
on  the  best  horses  he  could  seize.  A  green  flag  was 
mounted  over  the  castle  gate,  with  the  inscription, 
Erin  go  Bragh,  importing  to  invite  the  country  peo- 
ple to  join  the  French.  Their  cause  was  to  be  for- 
warded by  the  immediate  delivery  of  arms,  ammuni- 
tion, and  clothing  to  the  new  levies  of  the  countr}^ 
Property  was  to  be  inviolably.  Ready  money  was 
to  come  over  in  the  ships  expected  every  day  from 
France.  Humbert  left  Killala  with  a  quantity  of 
ammunition  in  the  possession  of  200  men  and  6  offi- 
cers, and  on  the  25th,  about  7  o'clock  in  the  even- 
ing, took  possession  of  Ballina,  from  whence  the  gar- 
rison fled  on  his  approach.  Here  he  left  behind  him 
an  officer  named  True,  with  a  very  small  part  of  the 
French,  and  several  of  the  Irish  recruits.  Humbert 
was  sensible  of  the  advantage  of  pushing  forward 
with  vigor,  and  that  a  rapid  progress  into  the  interior 
could  alone  bring  the  natives  to  his  standard.  At 
Bal.'ina,  many  hundred  peasants  repaired  to  the 
French  standard,  and  with  eagerness  received  arms 
and  uniforms.  The  French  commander  determined 
to  attack  the  forces  at  Castlebar,  and  began  his 
march  on  the  morning  of  the  26th,  with  800  of  his 
own  men,  and  less  than  1500  Irish.  He  advanced 
through  mountains,  by  ways  generally  deemed  im- 
passable to  an  army,  with  two  small  curricle  guns, 
the  repairing  of  the  carriage  of  one  of  which,  broken 
by  the  ruggedness  of  the  roads,  caused,  fortunately 
for  our  army,  some  hours  delay  in  their  march.    The 


PLOWDEN,    TEELING,    ETC.  353 

French  were,  at  7  o'clock,  within  two  nriiles  of  the 
town,  before  which  our  army  had  taken  their  posi- 
tion on  a  rising  ground,  to  receive  them.  Our  artil- 
lery at  first  made  such  execution  among  the  French, 
that  they  instantly  fell  back  some  paces.  They  then 
filed  off  in  small  parlies  to  the  right  and  left,  and  as- 
sailed our  troops  in  flank,  who  had  scarcely  fired  a 
second  round,  when  the  royal  army,  seized  with  a 
panic,  broke  on  all  sides,  and  fled  in  extreme  confu- 
sion through  the  town  on  the  road  to  Tuam.  Some 
have  asserted  that  General  Lake  gave  an  order  for 
retreating.  The  force  that  general  commanded  at 
Castlebar  fell  very  little  short  of  6000  men.  They 
never  halted  till  they  reached  Tuam,  and  the  same 
night  renewed  their  march  to  Athlone.  The  artillery 
lost  by  our  army  in  this  defeat,  consisted  of  14 
pieces,  of  which  4  were  curricle  guns,  besides  that 
of  the  carbiniers ;  the  loss  on  either  side  has  been 
never  known.  After  their  victory  at  Castlebar,  the 
French  received  great  accessions  of  Irish  peasantry 
to  their  standard.  The  advanced  guard  of  the 
French  having  arrived  at  Coloony,  met  Colonel  Ve- 
reker,  who  had  marched  from  Sligo  with  about  230 
men,  and  2  curricle  guns,  who,  after  2  hours'  fight, 
retreated  back  to  Sligo,  losing  his  artillery.  Hum- 
bert directed  his  march  to  Drummahair,  towards 
Manorhamilton,  in  the  county  of  Leitrim,  and  taking 
his  way  by  Drumkerim,  intending  to  reach  Granard, 
in  the  county  of  Longford  ;  (Crawford's  troops  hung 
so  close  on  the  rear  guard  of  the  French,  as  to  come 
to  action  with  it  on  the  7th,  between  Drumshambo 
and  Ballynamore.)  Crawford's  troops  coming  to 
action  with  him  on  the  7th,  between  Drumshambo 
and  Ballynamore,  were  repulsed  by  Humbert  with 
loss.  The  French  army  passed  the  Shannon  at 
Ballintra,  and  hailing  at  Claone,  arrived  at  Ballina- 
30* 


354  ABSTRACTS    FROM 

muck  on  the  8tli  of  September,  so  closely  followed 
by  the  troops  of  Col.  Crawford  and  Gen.  Lake,  that 
its  rear  guard  was  unable  to  break  the  bridge  at 
Ballintra,  to  impede  the  pursuit ;  while  Cornwaliis, 
with  the  grand  army,  crossed  the  same  river  at  Car- 
rick-on-Shannon,  marched  by  Mohill  to  Saint-Johns- 
town, county  Longford,  in  order  to  intercept  the 
enemy  in  front,  on  his  way  to  Granard ;  or  should 
he  proceed,  to  surround  him  with  an  army  of  30,000 
men.  In  this  desperate  situation,  Humbert  arranged 
his  forces,  with  no  other  object,  as  presumed,  than 
to  maintain  the  honor  of  the  French  arms.  The  rear 
guard  havmg  been  attacked  by  Colonel  Crawford, 
about  200  of  the  French  infantry  surrendered.  The 
rest  continued  to  defend  themselves  for  about  half 
an  hour,  when,  on  the  appearance  of  the  main  body 
of  General  Lake's  army,  they  also  surrendered,  after 
they  had  made  Lord  Roden,  with  a  body  of  dra- 
goons, a  prisoner.  He  had  precipitately  advanced 
into  the  French  lines,  to  obtain  their  surrender.  The 
United  men  who  had  accompanied  the  French  to  this 
fatal  field,  being  excluded  from  quarter,  fled  in  all 
directions,  and  were  pursued  with  the  slaughter  of 
500  men,  which  seems  much  less  to  exceed  the 
truth,  than  the  returns  of  slain  in  the  southeastern 
parts  of  the  island.  Notwithstanding  the  diminution 
by  desertions  on  the  march,  about  1500  United  men 
were  with  the  French  army  at  Ballynamuck,  at  the 
time  of  the  surrender  of  General  Humbert.  The 
loss  of  the  British  was  officially  stated  at  3  privates 
killed,  12  wounded,  3  missing,  and  one  officer 
wounded.  The  troops  of  General  Humbert  were 
found,  when  prisoners,  to  consist  of  746  privates, 
and  96  officers  ;  having  sustained  a  loss  of  about 
200  men,  since  their  landing  at  Kdlala  on  the  22d 
of  August.     Some  thousands  of  United  men  assem- 


PLOWDEN,    TEELING,    ETC.  355 

bled  in  the  neighborhood  of  Granard,  chiefly  from 
Westmealh  and  Longford,  on  the  5lh  of  September, 
but  being  defended  by  Captain  Cottingham,  they  re- 
treated with  some  loss.  Castlebar,  which,  on  its 
evacuation  by  the  French,  had  been  occupied  by  the 
king's  troops,  was  attacked  on  the  morning  of  the 
12lh  of  September,  by  2000  United  men.  The  gar- 
rison was  defended  by  57  Frazer's  fencibles,  34  vol- 
unteers, and  one  troop  of  yeoman  cavalry,  under 
Captain  Urquhart.  The  assailants  were  routed  A 
battle  was  fought  near  the  village  of  Ballynascarty, 
county  of  Cork,  where,  on  the  19th  of  June,  220  men 
of  the  Westmeath  regiment  of  militia,  with  two  6 
pounders,  under  the  command  of  their  Lieutenant, 
Sir  Hugh  O'Reilly,  were  attacked  on  their  march 
from  Clonakelly  to  Bandon,  by  a  body  of  3  or  400 
men,  armed  principally  with  pikes.  This  was  only 
a  part  of  the  United  force  here  placed  in  ambush,  in 
a  very  advantageous  position.  The  attack  was  made 
from  a  height  on  the  left  of  the  column,  so  unex- 
pectedly and  rapidly,  that  the  troops  had  scarcely 
time  to  form  ;  but  at  that  critical  moment,  a  hundred 
men  of  the  Caithness  legion  arrived  on  the  spot,  and 
by  a  brisk  fire  helped  to  put  the  assailants  to  flight. 
Their  loss  amounted  to  between  50  and  100  men; 
that  of  the  royal  troops,  only  a  sergeant  and  one  pri- 
vate. On  the  7th  of  June  the  town  of  Antrim  was 
attacked  by  the  United  men,  commanded  by  Henry 
Joy  McCracken,  at  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and 
soon  overpowered  the  troops  within  it,  nearly  gaining 
possession.  Major-general  Nugent  with  a  body  of 
troops  attacked  them,  but  liis  vanguard,  consisting  of 
cavalry,  being  repulsed,  with  the  loss  of  23  men 
killed  and  wounded,  of  which  three  were  officers, 
Colonel  Durham  brought  the  artillery  to  batter  the 
town,  which  obliged  the  United  forces  to  abandon 


356  ABSTRACTS    FROM 

it,  together  with  a  6-pouncler  they  had  brought  with 
them,  and  two  curricle  guns  they  had  taken  from  the 
army.  They  were  pursued  towards  Slanes  castle 
and  Randalstown  with  some  loss.  On  this  day  Lord 
O'Neil  was  mortally  wounded.  A  small  body  of 
men  made  an  assault  on  the  town  of  Larne,  and  at 
Ballymena  and  Ballycastle :  the  main  body  retired 
to  Donegar  Hill,  where  they  surrendered  their  arms, 
and  almost  all  dispersed.  On  the  8lh  of  June,  an- 
other body  of  United  men  in  the  county  of  Down, 
near  Saintfield,  commanded  by  Dr.  Jackson,  set  lire 
to  Mackee's  house  the  informer,  and  the  next  day, 
from  an  ambuscade,  surrounded  the  York  fencibles 
under  Colonel  Stapleton,  and  killed  about  60  ;  the 
balance  retired  to  Comber.  The  United  troops  oc- 
cupied Saintfield  that  night.  On  Sunday,  the  10th 
of  June,  the  men  of  Ards  attacked  Portaferry,  and 
after  a  hard  fight,  retired  from  the  town.  On  the 
11th,  there  was  at  Saintfield  about  7000  United  men, 
commanded  by  General  Munroe,  who  had,  besides, 
a  strong  force  at  Creevy  Rocks.  The  British,  under 
Generals  Nugent  and  Barber,  arrived  from  Belfast 
to  meet  him  at  Ballynahinch.  McCance,  an  officer 
of  great  courage,  defended  Wmdmill  Hill ;  while 
Munroe  posted  his  men  on  the  hill  of  Ednevady. 
Several  battles  were  fought,  where  loss  was  sustained 
on  both  sides.  Munroe  assembled  a  council  of  war  : 
the  voice  of  the  people  declared  for  instant  action  ; 
the  commander-in-chief  alone  opposed  it.  The  am- 
munition was  insufficient  for  to-morrow,  but  not  for 
a  night  attack ;  for  the  pike  and  the  bayonet  were 
more  efficient.  To-morrow  might  reinforce  the  ene- 
my's ranks  ;  to-night  every  thing  favored  an  attack. 
General  Munroe  said  :  "  We  scorn  to  avail  ourselves 
of  the  ungenerous  advantage  which  night  affords  ; 
we  will  meet  them  in  the  blush  of  open  day .  we 


PLOWDEN,    TEELING,    ETC.  357 

will  fight  them  like  men,  not  under  the  cloud  of 
night,  but  the  first  rays  of  to-morrow's  sun."  This 
delermination  was  received  with  discontent  by  the 
troops,  and  many  retired  from  the  field.  A  division 
of  nearly  700  men,  and  more  generally  armed  with 
muskets  than  the  rest,  marched  off  in  one  body  with 
their  leader.  Such  was  the  romantic  character  of 
the  man  in  whose  hand  was  placed  the  destiny  of 
thousands.  On  the  morning  of  the  13th,  he  com- 
menced the  attack  on  Ballynahinch,  by  a  discharge 
from  8  small  pieces  of  ship  cannon,  which  were 
drawn  up  against  the  town,  and  well  served ;  these 
were  promptly  replied  by  the  heavy  artillery  of  the 
enemy.  Munroe  headed  a  formidable  column,  while 
a  strong  division  marched  from  the  hill,  and  drove  a 
body  of  troops  into  the  town,  having  lost  their  com- 
mander. The  column  led  by  Munroe  consisted  of 
the  greater  part  of  the  disposable  force  which  re- 
mained ;  and  no  men  could  have  displayed  greater 
courage  and  enthusiasm  than  they  evinced  in  the  ad- 
vance. They  bore  down  all  opposition ;  forced  an 
entrance  into  the  town  under  the  most  destructive 
lire  of  musketry  and  cannon  ;  repeated  rounds  of 
grape-shot  sweeping  whole  ranks,  which  were  as 
rapidly  replaced.  A  piece  of  heavy  artillery  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  pikemen,  who  charged  to  the 
very  muzzle  of  the  guns.  Munroe  gained  the  cen- 
tre of  the  town,  where,  exposed  to  the  cross-fire  of 
musketry  in  the  market-square — raked  by  the  artil- 
lery— his  ammunition  exhausted — he  pressed  boldly 
on  the  enemy  with  the  bayonet  and  the  pike.  The 
charge  was  irresistible ;  and  the  British  general  or- 
dered a  retreat.  The  United  troops,  unacquainted 
with  the  trumpet's  note,  and  enveloped  by  the  smoke 
which  prevented  a  distinct  view  of  the  hurried  move- 
ments in  the  British  line,  mistook  the  sounded  re- 


358  ABSTRACTS    FROM 

treat  for  the  signal  of  charge,  and  shrinking,  as  they 
conceived,  from  the  advance  of  fresh  nunfibers,  fled 
with  precipitation  in  a  southerly  direction  from  the 
town,  while  the  British  were  as  rapidly  evacuating 
it  on  the  north.  This  unfortunate  circumstance  led 
to  the  total  defeat  of  the  United  army.  A  British 
regiment  of  cavalry,  the  22d  light  dragoons,  who  had 
borne  no  active  part  in  the  operations  of  the  day, 
charged  the  flying  troops  of  Munroe,  while  the  in- 
fantry, recovering  from  their  panic,  joined  in  the  pur- 
suit. Munroe  halted  on  the  hill  of  Ednevady,  but 
being  nearly  surrounded  by  the  enemy,  he  retreated 
with  his  last  division,  scarcely  mustering  150  men. 
The  attack  of  Prosperous,  a  town  in  the  county  of 
Kildare,  was  made  an  hour  after  midnight  on  the  23d 
of  May,  179S,  by  a  large  body  of  United  men,  sup- 
posed to  be  conducted  by  Dr.  John  Esmond.  The 
garrison  was  assailed  by  surprise — the  barrack  was 
fired — and  the  greater  number  of  the  city  of  Cork 
militia,  with  their  commander,  perished  in  tlie 
flames,  and  by  the  pikes  of  the  United  men  ;  28  also 
of  a  Welsh  regiment  of  cavalry,  styled  Ancient  Bri- 
tons, were  slaughtered  on  this  occasion,  and  a  few 
were  made  prisoners.  The  attack  of  Naas  an  hour 
and  a  half  after  that  of  Prosperous,  was  made  by 
nearly  1000  men,  under  the  conduct  of  a  chief 
named  Reynolds.  Possessing  themselves  of  all  the 
avenues,  they  made  a  general  assault  in  almost 
every  direction.  Being  repulsed  in  their  attack  on 
the  jail,  and  being  unable  to  make  an  impression  on 
the  troops,  they  fled  on  all  sides,  after  two  hours  and 
a  half  of  irregular  firing,  and  were  pursued  with 
slaughter  by  the  cavalry  of  the  king's  forces.  Sev- 
eral officers  and  privates  were  slain.  Of  the  United 
men,  about  200  were  killed  in  the  streets,  and  a 
greater  number  were  slaughtered  on  the  roads  and 


PLOWDEN,    TEELING,    ETC.  359 

fields  in  ihe  pursuit.  The  boldness  of  the  United 
men  in  Leinster  and  Munster,  yielding  so  little  on  the 
whole  amount,  that  many  acts  of  hostility  were  com- 
mitted against  the  royahsts,  by  men  assembled  in 
large  numbers ;  an  instance  of  which  has  been 
thought  worthy  of  notice  in  the  report  of  the  secret 
committee  of  the  House  of  Lords  :  That  a  body  of 
men  amounting  to  about  800,  on  horseback,  had  en- 
tered the  town  of  Cahir,  in  tlie  county  of  Tipperary, 
openly  in  the  day,  and  held  possession  of  it  until 
ihey  collected  all  the  arms  and  ammunition  which 
they  could  find,  after  a  regular  search  through  all  the 
houses. 

Thomas  Fitzgerald,  high  sheriff  of  Tipperary, 
seized  at  Clonmel  a  gentleman  of  the  name  of 
Wright,  caused  500  lashes  to  be  inflicted  on  him, 
and  confined  him  several  days  without  permitting  his 
wounds  to  be  dressed,  so  that  his  recovery  from  such 
a  state  of  torture  and  laceration  could  hardly  be  ex- 
pected. In  an  action  of  damages,  brought  by  Mr. 
Wright  against  this  magistrate,  the  innocence  of  the 
plaintiff  appeared  so  manifest,  that  the  defendant  was 
condemned  to  pay  500  pounds  to  his  prosecutor.  On 
the  26th  of  May,  a  large  body  of  United  men 
assembled  on  the  hill  of  Tara,  in  the  county 
Meath,  situated  18  miles  northward  of  Dublin,  was 
completely  routed,  with  the  slaughter,  it  is  said,  of 
1150  of  their  men,  found  dead  on  the  field  of  battle, 
together  with  two  of  their  generals,  and  many  infe- 
rior officers.  The  loss  of  the  victorious  party  was 
acknowledged  to  be  very  great.  The  position  of 
this  hill,  insulated  by  a  widely  surrounding  plain, 
is  well  adapted  for  defence  against  an  attacking  foe, 
but  ill  for  escape  from  victorious  cavalry,  from 
whose  pursuit  they  could  be  protected  only  by 
the  enclosures  of  the   fields,  so   that  many  doubt- 


360  ABSTRACTS,    ETC. 

less  were  killed  or  wounded  in  their  retreat.  On  the 
29th,  a  little  after  11  o'clock  in  the  morning,  a  body  of  the 
United  army  posted  themselves  in  the  village  of  Rathangan, 
county  of  Kildare,  29  miles  west  of  Dublin,  fortified  their 
post  with  chains  across  the  streets,  was  dislodged,  and  about 
60  of  ihem  killed,  by  a  party  under  the  command  of  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Longfield,  of  the  Cork  militia,  who  advanced 
against  the  town  with  his  artillery,  infantry,  and  cavalry. 
The  loss  on  the  British  side  was  inconsiderable,  as  the  United 
men  gave  way  on  the  fifth  or  sixth  discharge  of  their  cannon. 
In  the  action  at  Kilcullen,  at  7  in  the  morning,  about  600 
men  attacked  General  Dundas,  who  lost  his  colonel,  a  num- 
ber of  subaltern  officers,  and  privates,  besides  many  mortally 
wounded.  About  2000  on  Knockawin  Hill,  surrendered 
their  arms  to  General  Dundas,  on  condition  of  retiring  to 
their  homes,  and  liberating  Colonel  Perkins.  Major-general 
Sir  James  Dulf,  hearing  of  this  body  of  men  being  at  Gibbet- 
rath,  on  the  Curragh  of  Kildare,  ready  to  surrender  their 
arms  ;  when  the  troops  advanced  near  the  United  men  to  re- 
ceive their  arms,  one  of  them  incautiously  fired  his  gun  in 
the  air;  the  soldiers,  pretending  this  an  act  of  hostility,  fired 
on  them,  when  the  people  fled,  and  were  pursued  with  unre- 
lenting slaughter  by  the  fencible  cavalry,  denominated  Lord 
Jocelyn's  Fox-hunters.  Above  700  of  the  people  fell  upon 
this  occasion,  and  a  far  greater  number  would  have  shared 
their  fate,  if  a  retreat  had  not  been  sounded  with  all  possible 
dispatch,  agreeably  to  the  instructions  of  General  Dundas, 
who  sent  an  express  from  his  quarters  at  Kilcullen,  to  pre- 
vent such  an  accident.  In  the  populous  town  of  Drogheda, 
the  unfortunate  Bergen  was  tortured  to  death.  He  was  an 
honest,  upright  citizen,  and  a  man  of  unimpeachable  moral 
character.  He  was  seized  on  by  those  vampires,  and  in  the 
most  public  street,  stripped  of  his  clothes,  placed  in  a  hori- 
zontal position  on  a  cart,  and  torn  with  the  cat-o'-nine-tails, 
long  after  the  vital  spark  was  extinct.  The  alleged  pretence 
for  the  perpetration  of  this  horrid  outrage  was,  that  a  small 
gold  ring  had  been  discovered  on  his  finger,  bearing  a  national 
device, — tlie  shamrock  of  his  unfortunate  country. 


APPENDIX. 


No.  I. 

The  gpe&ch  of  Edward  Sweetman,  captain  of  a  late  independent 
company,  at  a  meeting  of  the  freeholders  of  the  county  of  Wex- 
ford, convened  by  the  sheriff,  on  September  22,  1792,  to  take 
into  consideration  "  Mr.  Edward  Byrne's  letter,  recommending 
a  plan  of  delegation  to  the  Catholics  of  Ireland,  in  order  to 
prepare  an  humble  petition  to  the  legislature'' 

Mr.  Sheriff — I  rise  with  a  diffidence  proceeding 
from  the  magnitude  and  awfuhiess  of  the  subject,  not 
from  respect  to  the  resolutions  I  have  heard,  which 
I  deem  exceptionable  in  every  part ;  a  circumstance 
which  the  silence  of  those  who  bring  them  forward 
would  seem  to  acknowledge.  I  implore  your  atten- 
tion while  I  deliver  some  thoughts,  which  are  the 
fruit  of  my  best  researches,  my  honester  feelings,  and 
the  unextinguishable  love  I  bear  this  ill-fated  country. 
I  shall  not  consider  the  language  or  grammar  of  Mr. 
Byrne's  letter — it  is  beneath  the  dignity  of  this  meet- 
ing, and  this  great  question,  to  descend  to  an  alterca- 
tion with  inquisitors  of  words  and  dissectors  of  sylla- 
bles :  I  shall  enter  into  the  subject  at  large,  and  speak 
to  the  scope  and  object  of  the  letter,  as  it  affects  Ire- 
land, and  as  it  is  the  expression  of  Catholic  hopes 
and  desires.  You  will  not  expect  brilhant  remarks 
and  exquisite  deductions  of  reasoning  from  a  man 
born  a  victim  to  the  popery  laws,  and  driven  at  an 
early  period  into  foreign  climes,  for  prohibited,  im- 
perfect education,  and  scanty  bread.  I  shall  speak 
like  a  soldier,  with  candor  and  with  frankness,  yet 


363  APPENDIX. 

with  respect  and  fear  of  offending,  unmoved  by  slan- 
der, uninfluenced  by  any  thing  but  truth.  Truth  is 
libel,  faction,  sedition,  and  treason,  in  the  eyes  of 
those  who  live  by  its  opposite  ;  but  it  is  the  only  cri- 
terion of  honesty,  the  only  basis  of  lasting  settlement 
to  your  country,  and  every  lover  of  it  should  utter  it 
with  courage,  and  hear  it  with  patience.  I  belong 
to  no  party ;  T  am  an  Irishman  ;  I  care  as  little  for 
those  who  are  in  as  for  those  who  are  out :  I  am  the 
humble  but  the  sincere  and  unbought  advocate  of  a 
wo-worn  people.  I  therefore  conjure  you  to  hear 
me,  and  forgive  my  inaccuracies  and  inexperience  in 
speaking.  I  know  that  honored  names,  illustrious 
patriots,  characters  which  Ireland  must  ever  revere 
and  love,  men  who  led  her  to  freedom  and  to  fame — 
one  of  whom  (Mr.  Ogle)  I  behold  in  this  assembly, 
with  many  mixed  sensations — and  who  won  the 
principle  of  prosperity  from  our  common  tyrants,  a 
principle  which  remains  a  dead  letter  without  the 
union  of  your  people  ;  I  know,  I  say,  tiiat  some  of 
these  differ  in  opinion  with  the  persons  whom  I  take 
to  be  the  best  and  most  enlightened  friends  of  Ire- 
land :  I  know  this,  and  I  lament  it ;  and  in  it  I  la- 
ment the  deplorable  inconsistency  of  human  nature, 
with  the  same  poignancy  that  1  lament  the  unac- 
countable but  most  certain  fact,  that  the  wise,  the 
virtuous,  the  philosophic,  the  magnanimous  Julian 
was  a  persecutor.  In  the  face  of  those  men  whom 
I  revere,'  as  I  hope  I  should  in  the  face  of  death,  I 
venture  to  stand  forward  the  advocate  of  this  wo- 
worn  people,  because  I  think  it  is  for  the  honor  of 
the  Irish  crown,  for  the  credit  and  consistency  of 
Protestantism,  for  the  prosperity  and  fame  of  your 
country,  that  British  privileges  should  be  restored  to 
all  who  are  the  supporters  of  British  and  Irish  free- 
dom.    I  wish  for  equal  fate  and  equal  freedom  to 


APPENDIX.  363 

every  loyal  subject  in  his  majesty's  dominions.  Upon 
no  other  terms  do  I  wish  Ireland  connected  with  any 
country.  Upon  those  conditions  I  wish  it  forever 
confederated  with  England.  Those  objects  cannot 
be  attained  till  Catholics  are  emancipated,  and  Cath- 
olics cannot  be  emancipated  till  they  obtain  the  elec- 
tive franchise,  and  an  equal  participation  of  the  ben- 
efits of  trial  by  jury.  While  their  liberties,  their  pro- 
perties, and  their  lives  are  at  the  mercy  of  those  over 
whom  they  have  no  control,  nor  can  acquire  a  con- 
trol, it  will  not  be  contended  the  Catholics  are  free. 
Taxed  without  being  represented,  bound  without 
their  consent,  and  tried  by  their  superiors,  the  Prot- 
estants, and  not  by  their  peers,  their  situation  is  the 
very  definition  of  slavery,  unmitigated,  unqualified 
by  any  thing  but  a  fleeting  liberality,  which  may 
perish  with  the  fashion  of  the  hour. 

I  have  said,  it  was  for  the  honor  of  the  Irish  crown 
that  Catholics  should  be  emancipated,  because  I 
conceive  that  honor  to  be  deeply  interested  in,  and 
inseparably  interw^oven  with,  the  question.  The 
honor  of  the  Irish  crown  has  been  perpetually  violated 
by  a  perpetual  breach  of  faith  with  the  Irish,  ever 
since  our  English  ancestors  first  landed  in  this  island. 
They  were  induced  to  come  hither  by  a  tyrant  and  a 
ravisher,  and  their  political  conduct  and  yours  (for 
we  have  been  all  guilty  alike)  has  never  once  belied 
the  principles  of  their  introducer.  Henry  the  Second 
granted  the  Irish  the  common  law  of  England,  and 
they  gratefully  received  and  swore  to  the  observance 
of  it.  They,  in  justice,  became  entitled  to  the  bene- 
fit of  that  law.  instead  of  this,  every  means  which 
fraud  could  invent,  avarice  suggest,  or  violence  en- 
force, were  employed  to  plunder  and  destroy  the 
brave  and  simple  aborigines  of  the  isle,  while  the 
^ty  of  their  kings,  whom  they  had  sworn  to  obey, 


364  APPENDIX. 

and  who  from  that  instant  were  bound  to  protect 
them,  skimbered,  or  rather  presided  over  these  cruel 
outrages  upon  human  nature.  Sir  John  Davis  says, 
the  old  Irish  were  out  of  the  protection  of  the  law,  so 
that  any  Englishman  might  oppress,  spoil,  or  murder 
them  with  impunity.  Sir  John  was  certainly  pos- 
sessed of  a  better  understanding,  and  had  more 
honesty  than  most  Englishmen  who  have  ever  blessed 
us  with  their  presence  in  this  island  :  yet  he  was  an 
Englishman,  that  is,  a  foe  to  Irish  freedofji,  and 
wished  to  throw  the  whole  blame  of  these  horrible 
and  absurd  oppressions,  as  Hume  phrases  them,  upon 
the  English  settlers.  Those  settlers  were  guilty  of 
innumerable  villanies  to  the  ancient  Irish  ;  yet  they 
wished  not  that  their  enmities  should  be  immortal, 
like  modern  settlers,  but  sought  at  last  to  bury  all 
animosity  in  the  mutual  peace  and  harmony  of  a  final 
coalition  and  incorporation.  What  did  the  English- 
Irish  king  of  the  day  ?  Alarmed  at  this  incipient  in- 
corporation and  prospect  of  happiness  held  out  to 
the  people,  he  dispatches  his  grandson,  Lionel,  Duke 
of  Clarence,  to  counteract  it,  and  to  revive  the  dying 
embers  of  civil  discord.  This  prince  passed  the  fa- 
mous statutes  of  Kilkenny,  so  much  extolled  by  Eng- 
land, and  the  slaves  of  England,  that  once  more  sow- 
ed the  seeds  of  that  everlasting  hostility,  which  di- 
vided the  sons  of  Ireland  from  each  other,  and  has 
subsisted  in  one  horrid  shape  or  other  to  this  very 
day.  The  English  settlers,  inflamed  by  those  dia- 
bolical laws,  became  the  executioners  of  English 
vengeance  and  hatred,  and  the  base  procurers  to 
English  passions.  The  proscribed  natives  were 
driven  into  rebellion,  and  then  dispossessed  of  their 
property,  for  the  unavoidable  effects  of  the  crimes  of 
their  oppressors.  You  see  I  feel  little  propensity  to 
canonize  the  vices  and  folhes  of  my  ancestors,  like 


APPENDIX.  365 

some  noble  lords,*  who  might  justify  the  massacre 
of  St.  Bartholomew's  day  and  the  fires  of  Smithfield 
upon  the  same  silly  principle  of  mistaken  pride. 
Near  four  hundred  years  passed  away,  during  this 
dreadful  scene  of  misery,  rapine,  and  blood,  in  all 
which  period,  every  virtue  was  invoked,  while  every 
crime  was  perpetrated.  The  sword  of  war  was  at 
length  sheathed,  and  the  sword  of  justice  commenced 
the  work  of  extermination.  The  English  now  availed 
themselves  of  every  chicanery  of  law  to  oust  the  na- 
tives from  their  remaining  lands.  They  did  this 
without  danger,  for  they  did  it  with  fraud,  by  the  safe 
and  bloodless  method  of  statutable  plunder.  In  these 
iniquitous  proceedings  they  were  sanctioned  by  their 
king — the  king  of  Ireland!  This  royal  miscreant 
confiscated  six  entire  counties  without  having  found 
or  looked  for  an  evidence  of  guilt,  while  he  boasted 
of  his  descent  from  the  ancient  inhabitants  whom  he 
spoiled.  Subsequent  kings  have  not  been  less  faith- 
less to  Ireland.  The  insincerity  and  tyranny  of  the 
blessed  martyr — the  profligacy  and  ingratitude  of 
Charles  the  Second — the  holy  impositions,  the  cow- 
ardice and  bigotry  of  James,  have  been  all  equally 
fatal  to,  all  equally  levelled  against  Ireland.  Your 
glorious  deliverer's  open  and  avowed  suppression  of 
our  native  and  favorite  manufacture  will  be  no  re- 
commendation to  anybody  who  is  a  lover  of  Ireland. 
That  he  confirmed  you  in  your  estates  is  partly  true  ; 
but  it  is  much  more  true,  that  you  dearly  bought  that 
advantage  by  the  sacrifice  of  the  independence,  trade, 
commerce,  manufactures,  prosperity,  and  name  of 
your  country.  He  drove  a  Dutch  bargain  with 
you,  and  you  bartered  your  freedom  for  a  paltry  con- 
sideration.    You  and  the  Catholics  since  have  been 

•  Lords  Enniflkillen  and  Aldborough. 


366  APPENDIX. 

set  at  variance,  in  order  to  govern  you  with  a  more 
easy  iniquity,  contrary  to  the  duty  and  honor  of  your 
kings — the  solemn  faith  of  treaties  has  been  violated 
by  the  house  of  Hanover,  in  the  first  of  George  the 
Second,  by  which  the  Catholics  were  deprived  of  the 
elective  franchise,  their  unalienable  right — the  price 
of  their  blood — the  honorable  condition  of  their  capit- 
ulation at  Limerick,  I  therefore  say,  it  is  for  the 
honor  of  the  Irish  crown  that  King  George  the  Third 
should  repair  the  wrongs  of  his  predecessors  to  a 
loyal  and  unfortunate  race  :  for  though  he  is  not  the 
original  author  of  these  wrongs,  yet  as  the  king  never 
dies,  he  is  in  some  degree  chargeable  with  the 
Avrongs  continued  under  his  government,  and  stands 
accountable  in  his  reputation  for  the  evil  he  is  at  no 
pains  to  prevent.  The  recommendation  of  this  late 
act  of  justice  from  the  throne,  will  become  him  full 
as  well  as  the  recommendation  of  charter  schools  : 
he  should  at  last  remember,  that  allegiance  and  pro- 
tection are  reciprocal  :  he  should  bear  in  mind,  that 
he  no  longer  deserves  to  be  a  king,  who  systemati- 
cally ceases  to  be  just  to  millions  of  his  subjects. 

The  credit  of  Protestantism  and  its  consistency  is 
equally  involved  in  this  great  question  of  CalhoHc 
emancipation.  The  Protestants  abandoned  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  religion  for  one  fundamental  reason 
among  others  :  because  they  pronounced  its  follow- 
ers to  be  persecutors  upon  principle,  and  to  want 
charity,  that  grand  desideratum  in  Ireland,  without 
which  religion  itself  is  rather  a  curse  than  a  blessing. 
They  should  now  abandon  the  Protestant  religion  for 
the  same  reason,  if  they  are  true  to  their  original 
principles  :  for  the  Protestants  of  Ireland  have  been 
persecutors — unrelenting,  inquisitorial  persecutors, 
for  upwards  of  two  hundred  years.  But  the  spirit 
of  neither  religion  is  persecution — bad  priests,  bad 


APPENDIX,  367 

ministers,  bad  parliaments,  and  bad  kings,  have  per- 
verted the  principles  of  both,  for  the  purpose  of  fixing 
a  lawless  yoke  on  the  necks  of  their  fellow^-creatures. 
Sanctis  nominihus  xa'pere  iiwperium,  has  been  their 
maxim.  Good  Protestants  and  good  Catholics  have 
ever  reprobated  these  sanctified  iniquities.  The 
worthy  Cardinal  Pole,  in  the  reign  of  the  sanguinary 
Queen  Mary,  though  a  Catholic  upon  principle,  rec- 
ommended toleration ;  Bishop  Gardiner,  though  ready 
to  conform  to  any  religion  for  interest,  taught  that 
persecution  was  lawful.  The  history  of  the  Jewish 
and  the  Christian  religions  incontrovertibly  proves 
the  truth  of  that  axiom  in  the  schools — that  what  is 
best,  when  corrupted,  becomes  worst.  The  purer 
the  worship,  the  more  abominable  has  been  the  per- 
secution it  gave  rise  to,  and  the  more  corrupt  the 
morality  practised  in  its  name.  The  name  of  God 
has  been  the  watchword  for  the  abominations  of  man. 
The  religion  of  the  Jews  was  pure  and  sublime — 
their  manners  and  disposition  detestable  :  the  reli- 
gion of  the  ancient  Egyptians  was  absurd  and  impi- 
ous— their  manners  and  government  were  the  glory 
of  humanity  and  model  of  nations.  The  same  moral 
mischief  I  have  described  among  the  Jews,  must 
unquestionably  be  produced  again,  when  more  trust 
is  reposed  in  faith  than  in  charity ;  in  profession, 
than  good  works.  The  knave  professes  any  thing — 
tne  honest  man  practises  without  profession.  A  poet, 
who  knew  man  and  woman  well,  writes  : 

Whoever's  faith  is  than  his  neighbor's  more, 
If  man,  beUeve  him  rogue. 

Your  popery  laws  engender  and  propagate  this  evil 
with  a  foul  increase.  They  punish  a  belief  in  Cath- 
olics, which,  being  harmless,  should  be  allowed  with- 
out the  infliction  of  disabilities ;  and  they  condemn 


368  APPENDIX. 

principles  which  CathoHcs  have  abjured  in  words, 
and  ever  proved  to  be  false  charges  by  their  actions. 
You  give  the  reward  of  honesty,  loyahy,  and  patriot- 
ism— I  mean  the  right  of  citizenship — to  oaths,  to 
nugatory  declarations  and  abjurations.  For  a  bare 
recantation  of  the  faith  of  his  fathers,  and  hard  anti- 
christian  swearing,  puts  your  Catholic  neighbor  in- 
stantly upon  a  fooling  with  yourself,  while  all  the 
virtues  which  Christ  or  Socrates  ever  taught  or 
practised,  would  leave  him  a  slave  without  it.  Do 
you  not  daily  see  the  effect  of  these  laws  ?  Does  it 
not  require  great  fortitude  in  an  honest  man  to  be- 
come a  convert,  and  expose  himself  to  the  obloquy 
and  suspicion  of  both  parties  ?  Are  not  the  general- 
ity of  those  who  apostatize  to  your  religion  the  ba- 
sest of  mankind  ?  Do  they  not  slanderously  abuse, 
and  rancorously  persecute  the  wretches  they  have 
forsaken  ?  And  yet,  those  creatures  are  caressed 
and  courted,  while  honest  Catholics  are  despised  and 
trampled  on  !  Thus  your  laws  become  a  premium 
to  vice — a  penalty  on  virtue.  Judge,  then,  if  the 
continuation  of  this  vile  system  can  do  credit  to  the 
Protestant  religion.  No  ! — it  takes  from  you  at  once 
all  pretensions  to  Protestantism  and  Christianity. 

It  is  equally  fatal  to  the  prosperity  and  fame  of 
your  country  in  every  particular.  It  has  been  truly 
said,  that  oppression  is  a  smothered  warfare  :  it  an- 
nihilates the  peace  and  comfort  of  society.  Can  the 
Protestant  esteem  the  Catholic  he  dooms  to  slavery  ? 
Can  the  Catholic  love  his  oppressor?  They  are  both 
liypocrites  if  they  pretend  to  it.  They  must  in  the 
present  state  of  things  most  inevitably  hate  and  fear 
one  another.  It  is  the  law  of  nature,  which  laughs 
to  scorn  the  unnatural  institutions  of  man,  and  what 
can  you  expect  from  such  a  situation  ?  Does  not  the 
trajiquillity  of  your  country  hang  by  a  thread,  and 


APPENDIX.  369 

are  you  still  determined  to  leave  it  in  this  feverish 
tremulous  existence  ?  You  have  been  bred  in  a 
contempt  for  Catholics — a  contempt  originally  instill- 
ed by  your  oppressors,  the  English,  and  which  they 
are  by  no  means  sparing  of  to  yourselves.  And  in- 
deed none  of  us  have  been  totally  wronged  by  our 
kind  and  affectionate  sister :  for  we  have  not  respect- 
ed ourselves.  America  has  respected  herself,  and 
therefore  she  is  respected.  She  has  performed  a 
very  arduous  task — she  has  taught  Englishmen  man- 
ners. But  the  English  have  grossly  deceived  you  in 
their  description  of  your  countrymen.  They  have 
refused  them  credit  for  every  good  quality,  and  fixed 
the  stigma  of  ever>'  bad  one  upon  tfiem.  They  have 
denied  them  courage  and  understanding — that  they 
persuade  them  and  the  world  that  they  had  neither 
sense  to  perceive,  nor  spirit  to  assert  their  rights. 
But  I  tell  you  again,  they  have  grossly  deceived  you. 
There  is  not  in  Europe  a  nobler  peasantry  than  the 
peasantry  of  Ireland,  the  great  body  of  the  people 
you  have  enslaved.  The  English  began  their  system 
of  calumny  against  the  Irish,  not  before  they  began 
to  despoil  them.  Had  they  reported  them  as  an  in- 
nocent people,  they  would  have  wanted  a  pretext  for 
their  undoing.  You  will  find  the  proof  of  this  in  the 
venerable  Bede,  who  loads  them  with  the  highest 
praise,  and  the  lying  Giraldus  Cambrensis,  who  cov- 
ers them  with  foul  reproach.  Sir  John  Davis  ac- 
knowledges this  race  of  men  to  be  endued  with  ex- 
traordinary abilities  of  mind  and  body  ;  and  that 
there  is  no  people  under  heaven  who  love  equal  and 
indifferent  justice  better  than  the  Irish.  The  enlight- 
ened doctors  Young  and  Campbell  do  them  the  same 
justice.  The  immortal  Swift,  in  a  posthumous  work 
which  has  lately  appeared,  declares  that  the  common 
Irish  who  understand  English,  have  a  much  better 


370  APPENDIX. 

taste  for  reason  and  raillery,  than  the  English  of  the 
same  description.  Lord  Chesterfield  and  "  Adam 
Smith  call  them  the  most  able-bodied  and  handsome 
men  in  Europe.  Camden  testifies  that  they  are  in- 
credibly active,  ingenious,  and  warlike.  British  ad- 
jutants inform  you  that  they  are  made  soldiers  sooner 
than  any  subjects  in  the  three  kingdoms  ;  and  Amer- 
ica, Hindostan,  and  Europe  bear  witness  to  the  ar- 
dor and  firmness  of  their  courage.  See  then  the 
gallant  race  of  men  you  have  to  govern,  and  reflect 
how  you  have  governed  them  !  You  have  endeavor- 
ed to  unman  them,  and  reduce  them  to  the  level  of 
the  beasts  that  p^'ish.  Bereft  by  law  of  almost  ev- 
ery stimulus  to  industry — precluded  from  education, 
foreign  and  domestic — from  conjugal  connection  with 
their  favored  brethren — from  every  blessing,  civil 
and  political — it  is  a  miracle  that  they  have  retained 
any  thing  human  but  the  shape.  The  prototype  of 
your  policy,  Machiavel,  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  his 
Prince,  lays  it  down  as  a  maxim,  that  cruelty  may 
be  necessary  in  a  recent  settlement  acquired  by  war 
and  crimes,  but  if  prolonged  beyond  that  necessity, 
that  it  ultimately  proves  the  ruin  of  its  upholders. 
You  have  outstripped  your  model :  take  care  how 
^■ou  verify  his  prophetic  observation.  When  the 
city  of  Sparta  was  overthrown  by  an  earthquake,  the 
helots  surveyed  the  visitation  with  rapture,  and  re- 
doubled the  horrors  of  the  calamity.  Your  Protest- 
ant settlement  is  secure  beyond  the  probability,  nay, 
the  possibility  of  dangers,  if  you  do  not  continue  the 
temptation,  and,  the  language  of  the  constitution 
might  add,  the  duty  to  uproot  it,  in  the  hearts  of 
those  whom  you  mean  to  destroy.  You  have  noth- 
ing to  fear  from  those  miserable  beings  whose  an- 
cestors' estates  tlie  chance  of  war  delivered  into  your 
hands   one   hundred    and    thirty-eight  years   since. 


APPENDIX.  371 

Most-  of  ihem  have  perished  in  exile  and  in  want. 
Some  of  ihem  are  fighting  the  battles  of  foreign 
kings,  being  incapacitated  even  from  dying  for  their 
own.  Their  sad  remains  are  the  porters  of  your 
towns,  the  clowns  of  your  country,  and  beggars  of 
your  streets.  They  do  not  look  for  power ;  they 
ask  but  leave  to  die.  The  Catholics  have  given  you 
every  security  which  the  most  solemn  declarations 
can  give  :  you  have  a  much  better  security  in  their 
uniform  demeanor,  and  still  a  better  in  their  interest 
— that  interest 

Which  like  the  sword  of  kings, 
Is  the  last  reason  of  all  things. 

It  is  the  interest  of  every  honest  and  independent 
mind  in  Ireland,  that  the  smothered  w^arfare  of  op- 
pression should  cease  ;  that  the  feelings,  the  preju- 
dices, the  passions,  the  faculties  of  all  should  be  col- 
lected into  one  common  focus,  to  cheer,  reanimate, 
and  illumine  this  aggrieved,  palsied,  and  long-be- 
nighted country.  Have  you  not  had  enough  of  ven- 
geance and  petty  despicable  monopoly,  or  are  you 
still  resolved  to  persist  in  it  even  at  the  expense  of 
your  own  well-being  and  honor  ?  Is  not  your  coun- 
try a  prey  to  foreigners  through  the  imbecility  en- 
tailed upon  it,  by  emasculating  four-fifths  of  your 
people?  Were  the  provisoes,  indulgences,  and  mort- 
mains of  popery  in  any  degree  so  pernicious  as  the 
ruin  and  ignominy  of  English  influence  ?  Impostors 
delude  you,  while  they  are  practising  ancient  villanies 
under  new  names.  Does  not  this  influence  yearly 
drain  you  of  two-thirds  of  your  whole  revenue  ? 
Does  it  not  send  undeserving  viceroys  to  rule  over 
you  to  the  degradation  of  your  own  nobihty,  many 
of  whom  were  known  in  Europe  long  before  the 
great  majority  of  the  present  Enghsh  nobility  had 


372  APPENDIX. 

crawled  from  their  original  obscurity  ?  Does  it  not 
quarter  the  worthless  followers  of  those  insignificant 
viceroys — the  buftbons,  panders,  and  parasites  of  a 
corrupted  court — the  trash  and  refuse  of  another 
land,  upon  the  most  productive  spots  of  your  island  ? 
Does  it  not  exalt  the  most  unprincipled  and  shame- 
less politicians  to  the  very  highest  stations — and  for 
what  ?  for  reviling  your  country  and  denying  its  in- 
dependence !*  Has  it  not  made  you  a  by-word 
among  nations,  and  the  very  sound  of  your  name  a 
subject  of  laughter?  Are  not  your  mines  unexplored, 
your  fisheries  neglected,  your  trade  and  commerce 
restricted,  your  manufactures  unprotected,  your  lands 
unimproved,  your  country  denuded  of  its  wood  and 
shorn  of  its  beauty  and  means  of  naval  strength,  nay, 
your  very  character  debased  through  this  influence  ? 
Whence  the  want  of  employment  m  Ireland,  whence 
the  rack-rents  of  absentees,  whence  the  squalid  ap- 
pearances and  concomitants  of  poverty  ?  Whence 
the  wanderings  of  your  people  to  every  corner  of  the 
earth  ;  the  alarming  emigrations  of  northern  industry 
to  America ;  of  southern  hardihood,  to  England, 
France,  and  Spain — to  the  East  and  to  the  West  ? 
Whence,  I  say,  does  all  this  proceed,  but  from  the 
wide-wasting,  pestilential  influence  of  England  ? 
Even  now  it  is  clandestinely  aiming  at  the  extinction 
of  your  parliament  and  your  lately  recovered  name. 
I  myself  heard  the  Marquis  of  Downshire  express 
his  ardent  wish  for  a  union  in  the  House  of  Lords  of 
England  !     Ireland  appears  loosened  from  its  foun- 

*  If  such  a  man  as  I  have  here  portrayed,  had  not  carried  the 
audacious  impurities  of  the  senate  to  the  judgment-seat,  but  admin- 
istered law  in  justice  and  in  mercy,  ds  became  his  great  abilities, 
the  circumstance  should  be  a  drawback  on  tlie  detestation  of  his 
countrymen — it  should  take  but  little  from  the  distrust  of  the  char- 
acter. Nemo  unquam  imperium  Jlagitio  qutssitum  bonis  artibu9 
exercuit. 


APPENDIX.  373 

dations  by  this  influence,  and  floats  at  the  breath  of 
every  bold  and  flagitious  English  undertaker,  who  is 
sent  to  defame  and  to  devour  it.  She  might  most 
happily  maintain  more  than  double  her  population, 
were  she  not  inhibited  from  availing  herself  of  the 
bounties  of  heaven.  But  your  Draconian  laws  against 
popery,  the  loathsome  but  unacknowledged  off"spring 
of  the  influence  I  have  been  describing,  have  worn 
her  natives  down  to  a  degree  of  wretchedness  not  to 
be  equalled  by  that  of  slave  or  freeman  in  any  quar- 
ter of  the  globe  :  they  have  given  your  country  the 
melancholy  pre-eminence  among  nations  of  being 
supreme  in  misery.  But  she  has  borne  her  adversi- 
ties with  fortitude.  You  may  thank  your  stars,  that 
the  suicide  principle  of  those  laws  has  not  utterly 
eradicated  the  spirit  of  your  people.  If  it  had,  you 
would  have  looked  in  vain  for  freedom.  Had  they 
stood  aloof  in  the  day  of  trial,  or  joined  with  your 
enemies — had  they  not  listened  to  the  dictates  of 
their  own  virtues,  but  followed  your  example  in 
wounding  themselves  through  the  heart  of  their 
country,  you  had  still  been  in  bondage.  They  dis- 
dained the  inglorious  example — they  pledged  their 
lives  and  their  fortunes  for  your  freedom,  and  you 
PLEDGE  YOURS  to  hold  them  in  chains  !  They  are  a 
conquered  people,  you  say.  But  when  they  resigned 
their  power  in  1691,  after  their  glorious  defence  of 
Limerick,  they  stipulated  for  freedom  with  arms  in 
their  hands.  What  did  you  ?  When  you  got  them 
in  your  power,  you  stripped  them  of  their  arms,  and 
robbed  them  of  their  freedom — you  kept  no  faith 
WITH  Catholics  !  They  ask  for  restitution,  there- 
fore, and  they  would  be  unworthy  of  it  if  they  did 
not.  They  ask  for  the  liberty  their  ancestors  planted 
and  preserved  in  this  island  :  for  nine-tenths  of  them 
are  descendants  of  those  English  who  first  won  the 


374  APPENDIX. 

country  by  fraud  and  by  force  from  the  ancient  Irish. 
They  and  their  forefathers  are  your  benefactors,  and 
you  are  still  bent  upon  remaining  their  destroyers  ; 
for  slavery  is  the  destruction  of  the  people.  Such 
being  their  conduct  and  yours,  is  it  decorous  to  talk 
of  their  ingratitude?  would  it  not  be  more  decorous 
to  retrieve  the  honor  you  have  lost  by  your  own  ? 
You  say  they  want  to  intimidate  you  into  a  compli- 
ance with  their  humble  supplications.  The  assertion 
is  falsified  by  the  fact.  They  presented  a  petition 
to  parliament  praying  for  a  share  of  that  freedom 
they  contribute  to  support.  They  did  not  make  the 
compliance  of  parliament  the  condition  of  their  alle- 
giance :  they  have  evinced  the  contrar}''  bj'-  the  un- 
varied tenor  of  their  conduct;  for  though  refused  in 
no  very  flattering  manner,  amidst  scoffs,  and  scorn, 
and  indignity,  their  enemies  have  not  gained  their 
point :  they  have  not  driven  them  into  violence :  they 
have  remained  unaltered  in  their  loyalty,  their  love 
of  order,  and  obedience  to  the  law.  A  brave  gen- 
eral in  your  House  of  Commons  invites  these  de- 
fenceless citizens  to  draw  their  swords,  and  make 
their  appeal  to  heaven.  These  oppressed  men  have 
no  swords,  and  if  they  had,  they  would  only  draw 
them  in  defence  of  their  king  and  country.  They 
and  their  fathers  have  so  demeaned  themselves  in 
every  vicissitude  of  fortune.  I  wish  this  great  officer 
may  be  as  well-disposed.  Shame  on  the  man,  who 
can  thus  mock  at  the  unfortunate,  and  pour  new 
misery  into  the  agonizing  bosom  of  a  tortured  gen- 
eration ! 

That  the  Catholics  are  not  prepared  for  freedom, 
is  a  proposition  unfounded  in  reason  and  contradicted 
by  the  experience  of  every  age  and  the  feelings  of 
every  lieart.  Liberty,  which  is  equal  justice  to  all, 
is  taught  by  nature  to  all — the  savage  and  the  bar- 


APPENDIX.  375 

barian  feel  its  sacred  impulses  as  completely  as  the 
philosopher.  The  liberty  of  England  originated  in 
the  woods  of  Germany.  We  know  that  the  Ger- 
mans w^ere  not  a  lettered  race — they  had  no  property 
but  what  was  in  common  :  yet  these  sturdy  barba- 
rians were  at  least  as  free  and  as  zealous  assertors 
of  their  independence,  as  their  descendants  the  Eng- 
lish. Many  of  the  mighty  barons  who  extorted  mag- 
na charta  from  John,  were  unable  to  read  or  write  ; 
yet  the  rude  feelings  of  their  untutored  breasts  fitted 
them  admirably  to  wrest  that  palladium  of  happiness 
from  a  tyrant.  I  hope  we  shall  hear  no  more  of  this 
insidious  and  hypocritical  cant,  invented  by  the  de- 
signing to  mislead  the  unwary.  To  be  fit  for  free- 
dom, it  is  sufficient  to  be  born,  and  it  affords  an  ad- 
ditional aptitude  to  be  bred  a  Christian — for  I  hope 
it  is  unnecessary  to  inform  you,  that  the  service  of 
the  Catholic  God  and  yours  is  perfect  freedom.  I 
should  imagine  the  requisite  knowledge  for  choosing 
a  representative  does  not  lie  far  beneath  the  surface: 
surely  a  Catholic  has  as  good  an  opportunity  of  learn- 
ing the  acts  of  wisdom,  justice,  humanity,  and  forti- 
tude which  distinguish  a  neighboring  gentleman,  and 
recommend  him  to  notice  at  an  election,  as  a  Prot- 
estant ;  or  do  the  magic  syllables  of  Protestantism 
bestow  sense  and  sensibility,  while  the  execrated 
name  of  papist  bereaves  its  unhappy  owner  of  every 
organ  of  feeling  and  understanding?  Away  with 
such  fooleries  !  Were  their  absurdity  not  lost  in  the 
immensity  of  their  mischief,  they  would  be  as  con- 
temptible as  the  dreams  of  dotards.  If  your  execra- 
ble laws  had  unfitted  the  Catholics  for  freedom, 
freedom  only  could  recreate  that  moral  and  political 
fitness  your  laws  had  done  away.  Slavery  is  the 
worst  of  all  possible  schools  to  teach  the  principles 
of  hberty :  you  would  not  manacle  the  limbs  of  the 


376  APPENDIX. 

man  you  would  enable  to  start  in  the  race  !  Be  not 
afraid  of  overpowering  the  tender  optics  of  your 
brethren  with  the  new  light  of  liberty  :  the  eagle  eye 
of  nature  looks  steadily  at  the  sun  of  liberty  in  every 
stage  and  every  condition  of  this  many-colored  and 
wearied  life. 

It  is  also  said  that  the  Catholic  committee*  is  an 
unlawful  meeting.  Those  who  say  so,  do  not  under- 
stand the  law,  or  misinterpret  it  with  an  evil  intent. 
No  meeting  is  unlawful  which  is  peaceably  met  for 
a  lawful  purpose — whether  the  mode  of  meeting  be 
borrowed  from  Constantinople  or  Paris,  whether 
from  the  empire  of  slavery  or  the  seat  of  democracy. 
The  Catholic  committee  is  not  acknowledged  by  the 
law,  totidem  verbis,  but  every  thing  is  allowed  by  the 
law  which  is  a  quiet  assertion  of  right,  and  hurts  no 
man.  Now  the  object  of  this  meeting  is  not,  as  has 
been  foolishly  or  maliciously  said,  to  consolidate  the 
power  of  the  Catholics  ;  but  to  ascertain  their  utter 
impotence  to  protect  themselves,  to  concentrate  their 
miseries  and  their  tears,  to  lay  them  at  the  foot  of 
the  throne,  to  supplicate  parliament  to  give  freedom, 
consequence,  and  union  to  Ireland.  They  hope  it  is 
no  offence  to  wish  to  add  dignity,  strength,  and  sta- 
bility to  their  country,  and  they  are  sure  petitioning 
is  lawful.  The  Catholics  labor  under  grievances, 
and  there  are  two  ways  of  removing  them — the  one 
is  by  war  ;  the  other  by  peace.  They  seek  not  re- 
lief through  the  calamities  of  war :  they  adore  their 
countr)'.     They  desire  that  peace  may  be  the  har- 

*  Posterity  will  honor  the  memories  of  those  prudent  and  un- 
daunted citizens  of  Dublin,  who,  unshaken  by  the  secession  of  their 
deceived  fellow-sufferers,  brought  those  very  men  back  to  their  opin- 
ion by  the  irresistible  force  of  truth,  and  cast  the  foundation  of  Cath- 
olic Emancipation  amidst  the  intrigues,  and  lies,  and  calumnies,  and 
menaces  of  their  enemies.  Their  names  will  live,  when  court  pros- 
titutes, and  hirelings,  and  slaves  will  be  forgotten. 


APPENDIX.  377 

binger  of  their  freedom.  That  peace  can  be  pre- 
served by  no  belter  means,  than  by  quietly  assem- 
bhng  and  humbly  proposing  their  grievances  to  the 
consideration  of  the  legislature.  The  legislature 
may  refuse  granting  the  prayer  of  their  petition,  but 
they  have  no  right  to  spurn  the  begging,  prostrate, 
and  obedient  subject  from  their  door.  You  are  angry 
with  these  miserable  people  for  stating  their  numbers 
at  three  millions.  You  are  then  angry  that  they  were 
born.  You  are  then  angry  that  they  tread  the  earth, 
breathe  the  air,  or  survey  the  heaven.  By  that 
heaven  I  conjure  you  to  dismiss  those  deadly  senti- 
ments of  shocking  uncharitableness  from  your  other- 
wise generous  hearts,  and  dare  to  have  the  magna- 
nimity to  forgive  those  you  have  so  deeply  and  so 
cruelly  injured.     Be  united,  be  Irishmen,  be  free. 

I  hear  a  great  deal  of  the  favors  already  conferred 
upon  Catholics,  and  that  their  emancipation  should 
be  gradual. — The  Catholics  are  a  grateful  people, 
but  the  fashion  of  the  day  and  your  own  exigencies 
gave  them  most  of  what  they  have  got,  and  your 
liberality  wears  too  much  the  appearance  of  selfish- 
ness to  entitle  you  to  much  gratitude.  Recollect 
that  you  only  lately  set  your  hand  to  a  partial  resto- 
ration of  their  rights,  and  that  those  acts  of  grace 
were  accompanied  with  no  small  share  of  reluctance, 
no  small  portion  of  contempt.  By  giving  the  Catho- 
lics the  power  of  purchasing  land,  you  converted  a 
flux,  moneyed  property,  which  might  be  employed 
against  you,  into  an  immoveable  pledge  for  their 
abiding  by  your  fate,  and  binding  their  own  chains 
the  faster ;  and  by  withholding  the  elective  franchise 
from  them,  you  refuse  them  the  shield  by  which  they 
might  protect  their  new  acquisition.  So  that  the 
privilege  you  rate  so  high,  makes  them  but  the  more 
dependent  upon  your  good  will  and  caprice.     As  to 


378  APPENDIX. 

gradual  emancipation,  if  you  mean  to  treat  your 
brethren  as  the  English  parliament  has  the  negroes, 
you  should  mark  a  period  for  their  emancipation,  as 
that  parliament  has  done  for  the  more  fortunate  Afri- 
cans. But  you  do  not  wish  it ;  you  are  withholding 
their  rights  from  your  fellow-creatures,  and  indulg- 
ing them  now  and  then  with  a  few  fragments  from  your 
table,  fondly  hoping  that  an  opportunity  may  arise  to 
dash  their  hopes  forever,  and  plunge  them  back  into 
that  unfathomable  abyss  of  misery  from  whence  they 
have  but  just  raised  their  heads.  But  the  opportu- 
nity will  not  arise  :  the  imperishable  spirit  of  free- 
dom has  gone  abroad,  and  cheers  the  heart  of  the 
meanest  peasant.  He  trusts  in  the  justice  and  vir- 
tues of  his  king,  and  the  tardy  humanity  of  his 
brethren.  His  king  longs  already  to  burst  his  chains  : 
for  he  can  do  no  wrong ;  and  many  of  the  fathers, 
restorers,  and  preservers  of  political  Protestant  free- 
dom in  the  north,  are  w^orking  seriously,  honestly, 
nobly,  and  independently  in  their  cause.  Your  really 
and  truly  glorious  deliverer,  Mr.  Grattan,  and  many 
of  the  most  exalted  natures  in  Ireland,  are  at  the 
same  godlike  work  of  redemption.  The  Catholics 
will  deserve  it — for  I  know  them — and  of  course 
they  will  be  free.  They  have  nothing  to  dread  ; 
they  walk  in  the  fearlessness  of  virtue. 

But  what  shall  become  of  the  Protestant  ascen- 
dency ?  I  revere  the  Protestant  ascendency,  if,  like 
the  prerogative  of  kings,  it  is  limited  by  justice  and 
the  safety  of  the  people.  I  cannot  revere  it  if  it  is 
nothing  but  an  uncontrollable  sway.  Such  a  sway  I 
could  never  respect,  though  seated  on  the  throne  of 
Great  Britain  or  the  chair  of  St.  Peter.  If  by  Prot- 
estant ascendency  you  mean  that  the  great  power  of 
the  country  should  remain  in  the  hands  of  the  present 
possessors,  more  than  three  hundred  years  would 


APPENDIX.  379 

not  transfer  the  power  (for  property  is  the  power)  in- 
to the  hands  of  Cathohcs,  even  if  the  whole  penal 
code  was  swept  away  at  this  moment ;  and  I  believe 
it  requires  no  inspiration  to  foretell,  that  the  folly  and 
wickedness  of  religious  animosity  will  have  died  with 
those  who  harbor  it  long,  long  before  that  period. 
But  if  you  define  the  Protestant  ascendency,  a  Prot- 
estant king,  a  Protestant  peerage,  a  Protestant  house 
of  commons,  a  Protestant  constituenc}^,  and  make  no 
account  of  your  Catholic  brethren,  but  wish,  with  the 
representative  of  the  whole  Irish  nation,  as  he  was 
pleased  to  denominate  himself,*  that  their  liberties 
should  be  forever  extinguished,  while  you  but  half 
retain  your  own,  I  abhor  the  inhuman  idea,  as  I  do 
the  author  of  evil,  and  exactly  upon  the  same  princi- 
ple, because  it  is  the  enemy  of  mankind. 

I  have  now  done  :  and  I  implore  mercy  for  your 
brethren,  and  justice  for  your  country.  If  you  re- 
fuse that  mercy,  and  withhold  this  justice,  you  should 
prepare  for  a  union  :  things  cannot  remain  in  their 
present  situation ;  you  must  either  give  freedom  to 
the  Calhohc  or  abdicate  it  for  yourself.  Your  an- 
cient oppressors  are  on  the  watch  to  inflame  your 
passions,  and  re-insnare  you  into  worse  than  your 
former  bondage.  A  union  would  be  advantageous 
to  the  Catholic.  By  it  the  Protestant  would  lose  his 
all,  if  freedom  be  all  to  the  noble-minded  and  the 
brave.  The  Catholic  would  not  be  raised  to  the 
Protestant,  but  the  Protestant  would  be  levelled 
down  to  the  Catholic,  and  sunk  into  a  slavish  acqui- 
escence in  the  will  of  a  country  accustomed  to  despise 
him.  The  Catholic  would  be  more  happy  :  for  that 
liberty  he  is  never  doomed  to  taste,  would  be  re- 
moved far  from  his  wounded  ear,   his  aching  sight. 

*  Tho  lato  Richard  Sheridan,  Esq.,  then  M.  P.  for  Charlemont 


380  APPENDIX. 

The  Protestant  would  have  no  consolation  for  past 
glories  and  present  shame.  He  would  experience  a 
servitude  more  grievous  than  death. 


Extracted  from  "  The   Wexford  Herald"  of  Monday,  Sept.  24, 
1792. — County  Meeting. 

Saturday  being  the  day  appointed  by  the  high-sheriff 
to  take  into  consideration  a  letter,  purporting  to  have 
been  written  by  order  of  the  sub-committee  of  the 
Catholics  of  Ireland,  and  signed  Edward  Byrne, 
about  one  o'clock  the  sheriff  took  the  chair,  and  the 
letter  having  been  read,  the  following  resolutions 
were  moved  by  the  Hon.  Francis  Hely  Hutchin- 
son : — 

1 .  Resolved — That  it  is  the  undoubted  right  of  all 
his  majestj^'s  subjects  to  petition  every  branch  of  the 
legislature. — Adopted. 

2.  Resolved — That  it  appears  to  this  meeting  that 
the  object  of  the  plan  refejred  to  by  the  letter  which 
has  been  read,  this  day  from  the  chair,  is  to  collect 
the  sense  of  all  tJi^  Catholics  of  Ireland,  in  order 
that  their  loishes  inay  be  laid  by  the  petition  at  the 
foot  of  the  thr-one. — Rejected. 

3.  Resolved — That  the  said  plan  is  agreeable  to 
law,  and  that  those  loho  shall  endeavor  peaceably  and 
quietly  to  carry  it  into  execution,  will  not,  by  so  do- 
ing, commit  any  act,  either  illegal  or  unconstitu- 
tional.— Rejected. 

A  debate  for  some  hours  having  taken  place  upon 
the  above  resolutions,  and  the  question  having  been 
put,  the  first  was  passed  in  the  affirmative  unani- 
mously ;  and  a  division  having  taken  place  upon  the 
two  last,  they  were  rejected  by  a  majority  of  one 
hundred  and  ten,  to  forty-five. 

This  division  having  taken  place,  Mr.  Maxwell 


APPENDIX.  331 

moved  the  following  resolutions,  all  of  which  were 
carried  in  the  affirmative  : — 

We,  the  freeholders  of  the  county  of  Wexford, 
convened  by  the  high-sheriff  at  the  requisition  of  the 
last  grand  jury,  to  take  into  consideration  a  paper, 
signed  "  Edward  Byrne,"  purporting  to  come  from  a 
body  of  men  styling  themselves  "  The  sub-commit- 
tee of  the  Catholics  of  Ireland,"  think  it  highly  in- 
cumbent on  us  to  express  in  the  strongest  terms  our 
disapprobation  of  the  contents  of  it. 

Resolved — That  we  see  with  much  surprise,  the 
many  favors  so  liberally  conferred,  of  late  years,  by 
the  legislature,  on  the  Roman  Catholics  of  Ireland, 
do  not  meet  with  the  return  of  thanks  and  gratitude 
to  which  they  were  so  justly  entitled. 

Resolved — That  since  the  proceedings  of  Catho- 
lics are  unwarrantable,  and  their  demands  unreason- 
able, it  is  time  for  the  Protestants  to  make  a  stand, 
and  to  be  firm  in  refusing  to  make  further  conces- 
sions. 

Resolved — That  we  firmly  rely  on  the  wisdom  of 
our  most  gracious  sovereign,  that  he  will  not  give  his 
sanction  to  any  measure  that  may  militate  against  the 
principles  that  placed  his  family  on  the  throne,  or 
tend  to  diminish  the  Protestant  ascendency  of  this 
kingdom. 

Mr.  Maxwell  moved  an  address  to  the  representa- 
tives of  the  county,  to  entreat  them  to  give  their  op- 
position to  any  bill  which  might  be  introduced  either 
now  or  any  time  hereafter,  extending  to  the  benefit 
of  the  elective  franchise,  or  a  participation  of  the  trial 
by  jury. 

The  address  having  been  a  long  time  debated,  was 
at  last  withdrawn.  Mr.  Hutchinson  then  moved  the 
thanks  of  the  meeting  to  Matthew  Derenzy,  Esq.,  the 
high-sheriff,  for  his  very  correct  and  proper  conduct 


382  APPENDIX. 

in  the  chair,  which  motion  was  carried  unanimously  ; 
and  the  question  of  adjournment  having  been  put  and 
carried,  the  meeting  was  dissolved  at  a  very  late 
hour  of  the  night. 


Extracted  from  "  The  Wexford  Herald"  of  Thursday,  the  27th 
of  September,  1792. 

We,  the  Roman  Catholics  of  the  town  and  vicinity 
of  Wexford,  ever  anxious  to  cultivate  the  friendship 
of  our  Protestant  brethren,  and  to  unite  with  them  in 
all  the  bands  of  social  happiness,  embrace  this  flat- 
tering opportunity  of  testifying  our  gratitude  to  the 
virtuous  and  independent  forty-five,  whose  united  ef- 
forts and  interests  supported  our  cause  at  the  county 
meeting,  convened  by  the  high-sheriff  on  Saturday 
last. 

The  malignant  shafts  of  calumny,  directed  by  the 
iron  hand  of  arbitrary  power,  will  never  awe  us  into 
an  acquiescence  of  guilt,  which  we  most  solemnly 
abjure.  We  are,  have  been,  and  ever  shall  be, 
grateful  and  loyal.  Werewe  possessed  of  more  our 
noble  friends  should  participate  thereof,  did  their 
generous  and  disinterested  patriotism  permit  the  idea 
of  a  transitory  reward  ;  nay,  we  respect  our  enemies 
as  members  of  the  state,  but  hope  they  will  not  expect 
gratitude  from  us  until  they  become  our  benefactors, 
that  is,  proselytes  to  the  true  political  faith,  on  which 
depends  the  salvation  of  our  countr^^ 

We  hail  our  ilkistrious  and  glorious  protectors,  who 
with  irresistible  energy,  eloquence,  and  truth,  pleaded 
the  cause  of  injured  innocence  and  degraded  human- 
ity, attempting  to  raise  its  head  amidst  its  implaca- 
ble oppression  !  We  hail  them  as  being  invaluable 
co-operators  with  the  saviours  of  our  country ;  on 
whom  alone,  and  on  men  of  such  minds,  depends  the 


APPENDIX.  333 

perpetuity  of  the  constitution  as  established  at  the 
revolution.  Signed  by  order, 

James  E.  Devereux 


No.  II. 

To  the  gentlemen,    clergy,  freeholders,  and  other  inhabitants  of 
the  county  of  Wexford. 

We,  the  undersigned  magistrates  of  the  county  of 
Wexford,  convinced  that  you  have  not  a  wish  nearer 
your  heart  than  to  have  an  opportunity  of  expressing 
your  loyalty  and  inviolable  attachment  to  our  king 
and  excellent  constitution,  (in  the  absence  of  the  high 
sheriff,)  request  your  attendance  at  the  county  court- 
house, on  Friday,  the  11  th  of  January  next,  for  that 
purpose.  A  measure  we  conceive  at  this  time  not 
only  highly  becoming,  but  also  essentially  necessary, 
thereby  to  contribute  so  far  as  in  us  lies  to  the  resto- 
ration of  public  and  private  credit,  v^hich  we  have 
experienced  to  be  materially  injured  by  the  seditious 
practices  of  a  few  designing  and  turbulent  incendia- 
ries. 

Walter  Hore,  John  Heatly, 

Henry  Hatton,  Richard  Newton  King, 

John  Harvey,  William  Hore, 

Ebenezer  Jacob,  John  Cox, 

James  Boyd,  William  Glascott, 

Robert  Havvkshaw,  Miller  Clifford. 


At  a  meeting  of  the  freeholders  and  inhabitants  of  the  county  of 
Wexford,  convened  by  requisition  of  the  magistrates  thereof,  and 
held  at  Wexford,  on  Friday,  the  11th  January,  1793. 
Walter  Hore,  Esq.,  in  the  chair. 

We,  the  freeholders  and  inhabitants  of  the  county 
of  Wexford,  convened  by  the  magistrates,  think  it 
right  at  this  time,  unanimously  to  declare  our  attach- 


384  APPENDIX. 

ment  to  the  constitution,  consisting  of  king,  lords, 
and  commons  ;  and  have  resolved — 

That  the  principles  of  the  British  constitution  are 
founded  in  wisdom  and  justice,  equally  providing  for 
the  liberty  and  happiness  of  the  people. 

That  an  hereditary  monarch,  an  assembly  of  the 
nobles,  and  a  body  of  representatives  derived  from 
the  people,  by  free  and  general  election,  are  each  of 
them  integral,  vital,  and  essential  parts  of  our  consti- 
tution, in  so  much  that  the  decay  or  corruption  of 
any  of  them  will  taint  or  destroy  the  whole  system. 

That  the  representative  part  of  our  legislature  is 
not  derived  from  the  people  by  that  free  and  general 
election  which  the  fundamental  principles  of  our  con- 
stitution require,  and  the  state  and  condition  of  this 
nation  would  warrant. 

That  the  permanent  peace  and  welfare  of  Ireland 
can  only  be  established  by  a  radical  and  effectual  re- 
form in  the  commons  house  of  parliament,  and  that 
this  object  once  obtained,  the  people  ought  to  remain 
content  and  grateful. 

That  we  will,  by  all  constitutional  and  lawful 
means,  promote  a  radical  and  effectual  reform  in  the 
representation  of  the  people  in  parliament,  including 
persons  of  all  religious  persuasions  ;  and  we  rely  on 
the  wisdom  of  parliament  to  grant  such  reform. 

That  we  are  happy  thus  publicly  to  declare,  that 
the  people  of  this  country  are  perfectly  peaceable 
and  quiet,  and  we  know  of  no  seditious  practices 
therein,  nor  do  we  see  the  least  shadow  of,  or  ten- 
dency to,  riot  or  tumult  in  this  country  ;  but  lest  any 
such  should  be  entertained  or  intended  by  any  fac- 
tious persons,  we  do  declare,  that  we  will  resist  all 
attempts  to  introduce  any  new  form  of  government 
into  this  country,  or  in  any  manner  to  subvert,  cor- 
rupt, or  impair  any  of  the  three  essential  parts  of 


APPENDIX.  385 

our  constitution,  consisting  of  king,  lords,  and  com- 
mons. 

Resolved — That  copies  of  the  above  resolutions 
be  forwarded  by  our  chairman  to  the  Right  Hon. 
George  Ogle  and  the  Hon.  John  Loftus,  representa- 
tives in  parliament  for  this  county. 

Resolved — That  the  above  resolutions  be  inserted 
three  times  in  the  Dublin  Evening  Post,  Morning 
Post,  and  Wexford  Herald. 

(Signed)  Walter  Hore. 

Walter  Hore,  Esq.,  having  left  the  chair,  and 
Cornelius  Grogan,  Esq.,  being  called  to  it,  the  thanks 
of  the  meeting  were  unanimously  voted  to  Walter 
Hore,  Esq.,  chairman,  for  his  impartial  and  upright 
conduct  this  day. 

(Signed)  Cornelius  Grogan, 


No.  HI. 


At  the  request  of  Mr.  Edward  Hay,  late  of  Bal- 
lenkeele,  in  the  county  of  Wexford,  I  certify  that  I 
became  acquainted  with  him  in  the  year  1793,  for 
which  year  I  was  high-sheriff  for  said  county,  and  at 
which  time  the  country  was  much  disturbed.  I 
thought  necessar}'  to  consult  the  gentlemen  of  the 
county,  and  called  meetings  for  this  purpose.  Mr. 
Hay  attended  these  meetings,  and  was,  with  other 
gentlemen,  as  active  and  zealous  as  possible  in  en- 
deavoring to  suppress  the  disturbances,  and  to  re- 
store peace  to  the  country.  From  Mr.  Hay's  actions 
and  expressions,  I  had  every  reason  to  consider  him 
a  loyal  man :  I  have  often  heard  him  declare  that  he 
did  not,  nor  never  would  belong  to  any  political  so- 
ciety, and.  that  he  disapproved  being  of  all  such  so- 
cieties.    I  was  appointed,  in  the  year  1797,  admin- 


3S6  APPENDIX. 

istrator  during  a  suit  respecting  the  Hay  property. 
On  the  1st  of  May,  1798,  I  attended  at  Ballenkeele 
as  administrator,  on  which  day  ^Ir.  Edward  Hay,  or 
Mr.  Fitzgerald,  as  his  trustee,  gave  me  up  possession 
of  the  house  and  demesne  of  Ballenkeele,  and  other 
lands,  part  of  the  disputed  property  ;  and  delivered 
what  furniture  he  had  in  the  house  to  his  brother, 
with  whom  I  understand  he  had  settled,  and  declared 
he  would  want  immediate  payment  for  this  furniture, 
as  he  intended  to  go  without  delay  to  America,  and 
settle  there.  Mr.  Edward  Hay  was  much  dissatis- 
fied with  me  about  that  time,  but  this  did  not  prevent 
him  from  rendering  me  the  most  essential  services  in 
the  rebellion.  The  rebels  attacked  the  town  of  En- 
niscorthy  in  great  force  on  the  28th  of  May,  1798, 
on  which  day,  after  a  severe  engagement,  and  the 
'  town  being  in  flames,  I  retreated  with  my  corps,  and 
the  rest  of  his  majesty's  troops  stationed  there,  to 
Wexford.  On  my  arrival  in  that  town,  I  saw  Mr. 
Edward  Hay  in  the  street,  who  seemed  and  express- 
ed himself  much  distressed  at  what  had  happened  at 
Enniscorthy  and  elsewhere.  On  the  29th  of  May, 
I  again  saw  Mr.  Hay,  when  he  was  approved  of  as 
one  of  the  securities  for  Mr.  Edward  Fitzgerald,  who 
was  then  confined  in  Wexford  jail,  but  was  liberated 
that  day,  on  giving  bail,  and  sent  out  to  endeavor  by 
his  supposed  influence  with  the  rebels  to  disperse 
them.  On  the  30th  of  May,  after  the  rebels  had  cut 
ofl"  a  detachment  of  the  Meath  militia,  near  the  Three 
Rocks,  the  troops  which  marched  from  Wexford  to 
oppose  the  rebels  at  that  place,  retreated  to  llie  town, 
we  found  the  greatest  confusion  prevailing  there  ;  af- 
ter some  time  the  town  was  evacuated,  and  finding 
it  impossible  for  me,  situated  as  I  was,  to  retreat  by 
land,  I  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  effect  my 
escape  by  sea,  but  was  taken  and   brought  back  to 


APPENDIX.  3S7 

Wexford,  where  I  was  in  the  most  perilous  situation, 
not  knowing  the  instant  I  should  fall  a  victim  to  pop- 
ular fury.  1  was  taken  to  a  house  where  a  number 
of  ladies  and  gentlemen  were  ;  a  furious  mob  came 
to  this  house  and  called  for  me  to  be  put  to  death. 
A  particular  friend  of  mine,  who  was  then  in  the 
house,  assured  me  lately,  that  Mr.  Edward  Hay 
went  to  the  door,  stood  there,  and  declared  they 
should  kill  him  before  they  should  hurt  a  hair  of  my 
head,  and  he  succeeded  in  sending  them  away.  It 
being  generally  understood  that  every  person  who 
had  not  taken  the  United  Irishman's  oath,  or  did  not 
know  their  signs,  would  inevitably  be  put  to  death,  I 
asked  Mr.  Edward  Hay  to  swear  me,  which  he  as- 
sured me  he  could  not  do ;  and  I  have  further  reason 
to  think  he  was  not  a  United  Irishman,  as  the  week 
before  the  rebelhon  broke  out,  when  I  was,  as  a 
magistrate,  giving  certificates  to  the  people  on  their 
taking  the  oaths  of  allegiance,  surrendering  their 
arms,  and  giving  on  their  oaths  such  information  as 
they  could,  respecting  the  intended  rebellion,  not  one 
of  them — and  I  loas  very  strict  in  7ny  inquiries — 
mentioned  Mr.  Edward  Hay,  though  they  gave  me 
information  against  most  of  those  who  in  a  few  days 
after,  in  tliis  country,  were  leaders  in  the  rebellion. 

While  a  prisoner  in  Wexford,  some  people  inti- 
mated a  wish  to  take  me  home,  and  I  thought  I  would 
be  safer,  if  where  I  was  well  known,  than  at  Wex- 
ford. Mr.  Hay  told  me  he  would  not  let  me  go,  as 
I  would  be  certainly  put  to  death,  as  the  rebels  acted 
with  greater  cruelty  at  Vinegar  Hill,  near  which  my 
house  is  situated.  An  order  was  sent  by  the  rebels 
for  twelve  prisoners  to  be  taken  from  Wexford  to 
Vinegar  Hill ;  Mr.  Edward  Hay  told  me  of  this  or- 
der, and  said  he  would  endeavor  to  prevent  these 
oaen  being  sent,  as  he  feared  they  would  be  executed, 


383  APPENDIX. 

and  he  succeeded  for  some  time.  The  event  proved 
he  was  right,  as  some  of  the  same  persons  were  after- 
wards taken  there  and  put  to  death.  The  house  in 
which  I  was  for  about  ten  days  was  often  searched 
for  arms  and  Orangemen.  Mr.  Hay,  when  in  the 
house,  endeavored  to  save  me  by  attending  the 
searchers,  and  conducting  them  to  different  parts  of 
the  house  from  where  I  was.  When  at  last  a  party 
of  those  searchers  found  I  was  in  this  house,  my 
destruction  was  considered  inevitable  had  I  remained 
there.  I  was  conducted  to  the  prison-ship  as  a  place 
of  safety,  and  I  do  believe,  had  it  not  been  done  1 
most  probably  would  have  lost  my  life.  Considering 
the  popularity  of  Mr.  Hay,  and  he  being  a  Catholic, 
I  am  surprised  he  w^as  not  obliged  to  take  a  command 
among  the  rebels,  and  I  am  confident  he  could  have 
had  a  high  one  was  he  so  inclined  :  I  do  not  believe 
Mr.  Edward  Hay  had  any  command  in  the  rebel  ar- 
my, nor  did  I  ever  see  him  appear  in  arms  of  any 
kind  :  and  I  consider  it  a  fortunate  circumstance  for 
some  of  the  Protestant  loyalists  that  he  was  in  Wex- 
ford during  the  rebellion,  as  I  knew  that  he  expressed 
his  earnest  desire,  and  I  believe  he  exerted  himself 
for  the  preservation  of  many  of  them.  I  think  it  but 
justice  to  give  Mr.  Hay  this  certificate,  the  substance 
of  which  I  would  have  proved  on  his  trial  had  I  been 
called  on,  and  to  which  I  had  been  summoned. 

Solomon  Richards, 

Captain  Enniscorthy  Cavalrj',  and  Magistrate 
of  tlie  county  of  VVexford 
Solshorough,  August  30,  1799. 


I  hereby  certify,  that  on  the  20th  of  June,  1798, 
while  the  massacres  were  perpetrating  on  the  bridge 
of  Wexford,  Mr.  Edward  Hay  came  into  the  room 
where  I  was  with  other  ladies  ;  he  was  in  tears,  and 


APPENDIX.  389 

seemed  much  distressed  at  the  cruelties  that  were 
going  forward.  I  earnestly  entreated  him  to  use  his 
influence  to  save  the  prisoners'  lives.  He  replied  it 
was  in  vain  for  him  to  try,  as  he  had  no  influence 
with  the  people.  I  also  know  that  he  prevented 
twelve  prisoners  from  being  sent  to  Vinegar  Hill,  on  a 
belief  that  they  would  be  massacred  there  ;  and  I  do 
beheve  that  he  had  no  command  in  the  rebel  army. 
Given  under  my  hand  this  30th  of  August,  1799, 
Martha  Richards. 


County  of  Wexford,  )       Mr.  Thomas  Taylor  of  the  town 
^°  ^'^'  )  of  Wexford,  merchant,  who  was  a 

prisoner  in  the  jail  of  Wexford  during  the  rebellion, 
freely  and  voluntarily  maketh  oath  on  the  Holy 
Evangelists,  and  saith  he  has  known  the  prisoners 
to  express  the  comfort  and  consolation  they  experi- 
enced from  Mr.  Edward  Hay's  deportment  and  man- 
ner towards  them,  and  had  always  heard  them  ex- 
press their  joy  on  Mr.  Hay  visiting  the  jail.  Depo- 
nent being  an  Englishman,  and  not  long  in  Ireland, 
had  no  kind  of  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Hay,  but  al- 
ways approached  him  when  he  saw  him  conversing 
with  his  fellow-prisoners,  and  experienced  the  conso- 
lation of  his  conversation,  although  not  addressed  to 
him,  but  considered  Mr.  Hay  the  greatest  friend  to 
the  loyalists,  as  the  purport  of  his  visits  to  the  jail 
evidently  was,  to  give  general  comfort  to  all  he  saw 
in  distress,  as  he  communicated  his  sentiments  open- 
ly and  candidly  to  them,  and  undeceived  the  prison- 
ers with  respect  to  many  false  reports  that  were 
circulated.  Deponent  has  heard  Mr.  Hay  express 
his  horror  and  detestation  of  the  barbarous  proceed- 
ings of  the  rebels  ;  and  that  he  would  lose  his  life  or 
put  a  stop  to  the  cruellies  that  were  committing  on 


390  APPENDIX. 

Vinegar  Hill  had  he  been  there.  Deponent  remem- 
bers to  have  heard  of  an  order  for  several  prisoners 
to  be  sent  to  Enniscorthy,  which  order  might  have 
been  complied  with  had  not  Mr.  Hay  gained  intelli- 
gence that  they  were  to  be  put  to  death  ;  and  at  the 
earnest  request  of  the  prisoners  from  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Enniscorthy,  Mr.  Hay  declared  he  would 
make  such  representations  to  the  principal  inhabit- 
ants of  Wexford  as  to  have  them  detained  in  jail  as 
their  only  place  of  safety  ;  on  which  occasion  he 
has  heard  the  prisoners  express  their  utmost  grati- 
tude to  Mr.  Hay,  whom  they  consulted  on  all  occa- 
sions of  distress,  and  from  whom  they  received  ev- 
ery possible  comfort.  Various  reports  were  propa- 
gated, which  tended  to  rouse  and  irritate  the  passions 
of  the  people  to  revenge — that  the  army  had  com- 
mitted the  greatest  excesses,  which  alarmed  the 
prisoners  very  much,  who  consulted  Mr.  Hay  about 
a  proposal  they  had  drawn  up  to  be  forwarded  to 
government,  intimating  their  great  danger,  and  hoping 
that  the  prisoners  taken  by  the  army  might  meet 
with  the  like  good  treatment  that  they  did,  otherwise 
reprisals  might  be  made,  and  their  destruction  inev- 
itable. Mr.  Hay  undertook  the  task  of  endeavoring 
to  forward  this  proposal  with  the  greatest  alacrity, 
and  conducted  Captain  M'Manus  to  consult  with 
Lord  Kingsborough,  who  accordingly  wrote  a  letter 
in  the  name  of  all  the  prisoners,  among  whom  were 
many  officers  and  principal  gentlemen  of  the  county, 
which  proposal  was  dispatched  by  an  officer  to  be 
forwarded  to  the  next  commanding  officer  of  his 
majesty's  forces,  but  who  would  not  be  allowed  to 
proceed  farther  than  the  rebel  camp  at  Enniscorthy, 
and  was  obliged  to  return  to  Wexford,  at  which  dis- 
appointment we  considered  our  situation  more  critical 
than  ever,  and  experienced   in  a  greater  degree  the 


APPENDIX.  391 

consoling  visits  of  Mr.  Hay,  who  truly  sympathized 
in  our  feelings,  and  felt  this  disappointment  as  much 
as  any  of  us.  Deponent  never  saw^  Mr.  Hay  appear 
with  arms,  or  with  any  kind  of  green  ornament,  then 
usually  worn  by  all  descriptions  of  persons ;  and 
from  what  he  has  seen  and  every  information  he 
could  learn,  believes  that  during  the  rebellion  Mr. 
Hay  was  solely  actuated  by  principles  of  philanthro- 
py, in  any  interference  of  his  during  that  period. 
Sworn  before  me  this  28th  day  of  August,  1799, 

Eben.  Jacob. 
Thomas  Taylor. 


No.  IV. 

Extract  from  the  debates  of  the  House  of  Lords  on  the  lOth  of 
July,  1793,  on  the  convention  bill,  as  it  appeared  in  the  public 
papers. 

Lord  Farnham  declared,  "That  he  had  received 
letters  from  the  county  of  Wexford,  perfectly  agree- 
ing with  what  had  been  mentioned  by  the  noble  lord 
on  the  woolsack.  In  that  county  the  people  had 
held  meetings  at  night,  and  from  parish  to  parish  had 
sworn  the  inhabitants  not  to  pay  rents,  tithes,  or 
taxes,  expressing  their  disappointment  that  they  had 
not  received  ten  pounds  each  man  annually  for  the 
emancipation,  but  a  lease  for  which  they  were  obliged 
to  pay." — He  approved  of  the  bill. 


No.  V. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Catholics  of  the  town  and  neighborhood  of 
Wexford,  on  Tuesday  the  30ih  of  July,  1793,  James  Edward 
Devercux,  Esq.,  in  the  chair. 

We,  the  Roman  Catholics  of  the  town  and  neigh- 
borhood of  Wexford,  having  acquiesced  in  the  reso- 


392  APPENDIX. 

lulion  and  recommendation  of  our  late  general  com- 
mittee, notwithstanding  the  many  degrading  and  in- 
jurious distinctions  still  existing  against  us,  to  act  no 
more  as  a  body,  but  as  Irishmen,  united  by  one  will 
and  interest,  find  ourselves  most  reluctantly  compelled 
by  different  attacks,  immediately  pointed  at  our  honor, 
to  defend  ourselves  as  a  distinct  people ;  our  loyalty 
has  been  traduced,  our  views  misrepresented,  and 
our  conduct  defamed  ;  we  conceive  that  sinking  un- 
der such  infamous  and  audacious  slander  would  be 
the  ruin  of  our  country,  and  bereave  us  of  the  affec- 
tions of  our  king  and  our  fellow-subjects,  for  w^e  have 
learned  from  the  history  of  all  nations,  but  particu- 
larly from  our  own,  that  unrefuted  calumnies  lead 
from  the  extinction  of  the  honest  fame  of  a  nation,  to 
the  final  extinction  of  her  liberties. 

Resolved  therefore — That  it  is  a  base  and  scanda- 
lous falsehood  tliat  the  Catholics  of  Ireland  ever  en- 
tertained the  thought  or  harbored  the  project,  either 
in  private  or  public,  of  severing  the  sister  countries 
from  each  other,  or  of  renouncing  their  loyalty  and 
gratitude  towards  a  sovereign,  to  whom,  of  all  who 
ever  sat  upon  the  throne,  they  are  the  most  indebted. 

Resolved — That  the  Catholics  of  Ireland  never 
sought  any  other  boon  but  that  of  equal  law  and 
equal  liberty,  such  as  Englishmen  possess,  and  such 
as  is  equally  the  right  of  Irishmen,  and  that  they  are 
satisfied  forever  to  abide  by  one  common  fate  with 
Englishmen,  so  that  they  may  forever  enjoy  the 
common  blessings  of  the  constitution,  as  established 
in  king,  lords,  and  commons,  under  a  separate  legis- 
lature, and  a  common  king. 

Resolved — That  the  general  committee  of  the 
Catholics  never  exercised  the  right  of  taxation  in  any 
one  instance,  nor  any  other  ri^ht  but  in  absolute 
subordination  to  the  laws  of  their  country ;  nor  can 


APPENDIX.  393 

we  understand  how  these  proceedings  and  pursuits 
can  be  accounted  criminal,  unless  it  is  proved  that 
the  British  constitution — the  sole  object  of  those  pur- 
suits— is  a  code  of  iniquity  and  vice,  which  ought  to 
be  rejected  with  detestation,  and  not  contended  for 
at  the  hazard  of  every  thing  dear  to  man. 

Resolved — That  we  are  unalterably  attached  to 
the  peace,  happiness,  union,  and  liberty  of  Ireland, 
and  therefore  from  our  hearts  abhor  and  reprobate 
any  disturbances  which  may  endanger  the  possession 
of  those  invaluable  objects,  and  that  we  recommend 
most  seriously  and  earnestly  to  our  Catholic  brethren, 
to  join  and  co-operate  in  every  loyal  and  constitu- 
tional measure  to  suppress  tiiem,  be  their  authors 
who  they  may. 

Resolved — That  we  highly  approve  of  the  con- 
duct of  our  late  committee,  who  have  proved  us  not 
unworthy  of  freedom,  by  evincing  our  loyalty  to  our 
king,  our  gratitude  to  the  legislature  and  our  friends, 
and  our  unceasing  desire  to  fulfil  his  majesty's  gra- 
cious wish  to  unite  all  classes  and  descriptions  of  the 
people,  in  support  of  our  most  excellent  constitution. 

Resolved — That  the  silly  assertion  which  has  been 
publicly  made — that  the  Catholics  of  the  county  of 
Wexford  were  induced  to  join  the  committee  by  the 
promise  of  ten  pounds  a  year,  freehold,  to  the  lower 
classes — is  equally  devoid  of  probability  and  truth, 
and  deserves  nothing  but  our  contempt. 

Resolved — That  these  resolutions  be  published, 
and  that  our  chairman  do  transmit  a  copy  to  each  of 
the  gentlemen  who  were  delegated  to  the  late  general 
committee. 


394 


A.PPENDIX. 


No.  YI. 

To  George  Giles,  Esq.,  high-sheriff  of  the  county  of  Wexford. 

We,  the  undersigned  freeholders  of  the  county  of 
Wexford,  request  you  will  convene  a  meeting  of 
your  bailiwick  on  as  early  a  day  as  possible,  to  pre- 
pare an  address,  &c.,  &c.,  to  the  lord-lieutenant,  on 
his  excellency's  apprehended  departure  from  this 
kingdom. 


Cornelius  Grogan, 
Isaac  Cornock, 
Arthur  Meadows, 
John  Grogan, 
Matthew  Keugh, 
William  Hatton, 
Anthony  Lee, 
John  Colc!oug]i, 
Thomas  Richards, 
William  Talbot, 
Edward  Sutton, 
Patrick  Keating, 
Richard  Waddy,  M.  D. 
John  Meyler, 
Loftus  Hatton, 
Han'ey  Hay, 
Matthew  Talbot, 
Solomon  Richards, 
John  Richards, 
Edward  Hay, 
Bartholomew  Sparrow, 
Joshua  Pounden, 
Clement  Wolesley, 
James  Drurj', 
Robt.  Sharp.  Carew, 
Matthew  Derenzy, 
Joshua  Nunn, 


Goddard  Richards, 
John  Pounden, 
William  Wheeler, 
John  Wheeler  Pounden, 
Stephen  Lett, 
Joseph  Stringer, 
William  Barker, 
John  Stringer, 
Anthony  Rudd, 
Michael  Masterson, 
William  Barrett, 
Loftus  Richards, 
Thomas  Esmonde, 
John  Johnston, 
William  Fitzhcnry, 
Robert  Meyler, 
Frederick  Flood, 
Thomas  Grogan  Knox, 
Joshua  Nunn, 
John  Hari^ey, 
William  Kellet, 
James  Furlong, 
Armstrong  Browne, 
Charles  Vero, 
Dudley  Colclough, 
William  Harvey, 
B.  B.  Harvey. 


The  foregoing  requisition  to  the  high-sheriff,  as 
well  as  the  following  to  the  magistrates,  are  copied 
from  the  public  papers,  from  some  unaccountable  ac- 


APPENDIX.  395 

cident  without  dates,  as  the  original  has  been  lost  or 
mislaid.  The  author  is  particularly  cautious  not  to 
introduce  a  particle  that  is  not  clearly  substantiated  ; 
however,  it  is  certain  that  many  days  intervened, 
which  he  hopes  at  a  future  period  to  be  able  to  as- 
certain exactly. 


To  the  Magistrates  of  the  county  of  Wexford. 

Gentlemen — We,  the  undersigned  freeholders  of 
said  county,  being  informed  that  the  high-sheriff  is 
not  in  his  bailiwick,  and  deeming  it  highly  necessary, 
at  this  awful  and  alarming  crisis,  that  this  respecta- 
ble county  should  meet  for  the  above  purpose,  re- 
quest that  you  will  please  to  convene  the  freeholders 
and  inhabitants  of  said  county  as  soon  as  possible. 

Frederick  Flood,  Richard  Waddy,  M.  D. 

Joshua  Nunn,  Edward  Hay, 

William  HaUon,  B.  B.  Harvey, 

Matthew  Talbot,  William  Kellett, 

John  Harvey,  Armstrong  Browne, 

Edward  Sutton,  John  Colclough, 

Matthew  Keugh,  Tiiomas  Richards, 

Johj  Johnston,  Loftus  Richards, 

William  Talbot,  William  Harvey, 
Loftus  Hatton. 


In  compliance  with  the  above  requisition,  we,  the 
undernamed  magistrates  of  said  county,  request  a 
meeting  of  the  freeholders  and  inhabitants  of  the 
county,  at  the  county  court-house,  on  Monday  the 
23d  instant,  at  twelve  o'clock. 


Wexford,  17th  March,  1795. 


Cornelius  Grogan,  Harvey  Hay, 

Isaac  Cornock,  John  Grogan, 

Thomas  Grogan  Knox. 


396  APPENDIX. 


At  a  numerous  tneeting  of  the  freeholders  and  inhabitants  of  the 
county  of  Wexford,  in  the  county  court-house,  on  the  23d  of 
March,  1795,  Cornelius  Grogan,  Esq.,  in  the  chair,  the  following 
resolutions  passed  unanimously  : — 

Resolved — That  the  resolution^  of  the  freeholders 
and  inhabitants  of  this  county  in  favor  of  Catholic 
emancipation  and  reform,  adopted  by  them  at  a 
county  meeting  held  at  Wexford,  on  the  11th  day  of 
January,  1793,  be  now  read. 

Resolved — That  we  continue  of  the  same  opinion 
as  declared  by  us  at  the  above  meeting. 

Resolved — That  Earl  Fitzwilliam,  by  the  wisdom 
of  his  measures,  and  by  calling  to  his  councils  those 
men  who  have  at  all  times  promoted  the  union  and 
supported  the  interests  of  the  people,  and  proved 
themselves  the  true  friends  of  their  king,  the  consti- 
tution, and  their  country,  has  deservedly  obtained  the 
confidence  and  merited  the  gratitude  of  Irishmen. 

Resolved — That  we  have  good  reason  to  be  con- 
vinced that  the  sudden  recall  of  so  patriotic  a  no- 
bleman, at  that  moment  when  those  friends  of  Ireland 
who  had  obtained  his  confidence  were  bringing  for- 
ward measures  that  would  have  promoted  the  union 
of  the  people,  and  increased  the  strength  of  the  em- 
pire, could  have  no  other  source  than  in  the  malig- 
nant schemes  and  interference  of  a  late  administra- 
tion, (supported  by  the  influence  of  certain  members 
of  the  British  cabinet,)  who  knew  that  while  his 
lordship  remained  in  the  government  they  could  no 
longer  pursue  a  detested  system  of  measures — which 
seemed  more  calculated  for  the  purposes  of  corrup- 
tion, oppression,  and  persecution,  than  the  prosperity 
of  the  state. 

Resolved — That  strongly  impressed  by  our  past 
experience  of  so  dangerous  an  administration,  it  is 


APPENDIX.  397 

not  without  reason  we  dread  the  return  of  the  men 
who  formed  it  into  power,  and  the  revival  of  a  sys- 
tem which  filled  the  minds  of  the  people  with  terror 
and  alarm,  and  had  a  fatal  tendency  to  create  dis- 
union and  disaffection  ;  and  we  call  upon  every  man 
who  regards  the  safety  of  the  empire  to  come  for- 
ward and  deprecate  the  return  of  that  administration 
into  power,  and  thereby  rescue  the  nation  from  plun- 
der, dissatisfaction,  and  disunion. 

Resolved — That  an  humble  petition  to  the  king, 
expressive  of  our  sentiments  on  this  occasion,  be 
forthwith  drawn  up  and  laid  before  us  for  our  appro- 
bation, and  that  a  committee  be  appointed  to  prepare 
the  same — which  being  read — 

Resolved — That  we  approve  of  said  petition,  and 
that  Cornelius  Grogan,  Edward  Hay,  and  B.  B. 
Harvey,  Esqrs.,  do  present  the  same  to  his  majesty. 

Resolved — That  we  should  ill  deserve  the  patriotic 
intentions  of  Earl  Fitzwilliam  to  this  country,  if  we 
did  not  declare  our  sense  of  them  previous  to  his 
lordship's  departure  from  this  kingdom. 

Resolved  therefore — That  an  address  be  prepared 
by  the  committee  accordingly — which  being  read — 

Resolved — That  we  approve  of  the  said  address, 
and  that  Sir  Thomas  Esmonde,  Bt.,  Sir  Frederick 
Flood,  Bt.,  and  William  Harvey,  Esq.,  convey  said 
address  to  Earl  Fitzwilliam. 

Resolved — That  we  congratulate  our  countrymen 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  persuasion,  on  the  liberal  and 
honorable  testimony  which  so  many  counties,  cities, 
and  towns  have  borne  to  the  justice  and  policy  of 
their  claims. 

Resolved — That  the  thanks  of  this  meeting  are 
justly  due  to  Mr.  Grattan,  for  his  honest  and  patriotic 
attention,  as  well  in  as  out  of  power,  to  those  mea- 
sures which  on  former  occasions  he  had  supported 


398  APPENDIX. 

a 

and  brought  forward,  and  also  for  his  spirited  and 
constitutional  answer  to  the  address  of  the  Roman 
CathoHcs  of  Dublin. 

Resolved — That  we  do  publicly  thank  and  enter- 
tain a  due  sense  of  the  merits  of  those  members  of 
both  houses  of  parliament,  who  have  uniformly  stood 
forward  the  advocates  of  those  indispensably  neces- 
sary measures  for  the  preservation  of  our  constitu- 
tion, the  emancipation  of  our  Catholic  brethren,  and 
a  reform  in  the  representation  of  the  people  in  par- 
liament. 

Resolved — That  these  our  resolutions  of  thanks 
be  communicated  by  our  worthy  chairman  to  his 
Grace  the  Duke  of  Leinster,  and  the  Right  Hon. 
Henry  Grattan. 

Resolved — That  our  peculiar  thanks  are  due  to 
the  magistrates  who  so  properly  and  spiritedly  com- 
plied with  the  requisition  to  convene  this  meeting  in 
the  absence  of  the  high-sheriff,  who  was  not  in  the 
county. 


At  a  numerous  meeting  of  the  freeholders  and  inhahitants  of  the 
county  of  Wexford,  convened  hy  public  notice,  held  at  the 
county  court-house  on  the  '23d  of  March,  1795,  the  following 
petition  to  the  king  was  unanimously  adopted. 

May  it  please  your  Majesty — We,  your  majesty's 
most  dutiful  and  loyal  subjects,  the  freeholders  and 
inliabitants  of  the  county  of  Wexford,  convened  by 
the  magistrates  thereof,  in  absence  of  the  sheriff,  beg 
leave  to  approach  your  throne,  and  with  permission 
of  our  most  gracious  sovereign  to  express  our  attach- 
ment to  your  majesty's  family  and  government,  in 
full  confidence  that  our  benevolent  sovereign  will 
vouchsafe  to  hear  his  subjects  in  whose  hearts  he 
reigns,  and  whose  love  for  his  sacred  person  will 


APPENDIX.  399 

ever  lead  them  to  support  with  their  Hves  and  their 
properties  his  throne  and  his  government. 

With  gratitude  we  received  as  a  signal  instance 
of  our  august  sovereign's  beneficence  to  his  Irish  peo- 
ple, the  appointment  of  Earl  Fitzwilham  to  the  gov- 
ernment of  this  kingdom — a  nobleman  whose  wisdom 
and  whose  virtues  peculiarly  qualified  him  to  be  the 
beloved  viceroy  wlio  would  administer  to  the  inhab- 
itants of  Ireland  that  happiness  and  union  we  know 
)'our  majesty  would  wish  to  be  the  lot  of  all  your 
people  ;  and  we  anticipated  the  happy  consequence 
from  Earl  Fitzwilliam's  administration,  when  we  had 
observed  he  had  called  to  his  councils  those  men 
who  were  most  conspicuous  in  the  nation  for  their 
abilities,  and  their  attachment  to  the  interest  of  their 
king  and  the  constitution  of  their  country  ;  and  whose 
measures  promised  a  just  appropriation  of  the  public 
revenues,  and  additional  strength  to  the  empire.  But 
particularly  we  contemplated  with  the  most  heartfelt 
joy,  the  union  of  all  your  majesty's  subjects,  by  the 
removal  of  those  civil  distinctions  arising  from  differ- 
ence in  religious  opinion — a  measure  of  such  invalu- 
able wisdom,  as  would  forever  shield  the  tbrone  of 
our  revered  sovereign  with  the  unconquerable  pha- 
lanx of  a  loyal  and  brave  people.  But  these  our 
most  flattering  expectations  being  suspended  by  the 
removal  of  Earl  Fitzwilliam  from  the  government  of 
Ireland,  we  beg  leave  to  represent  to  our  most  gra- 
cious sovereign  our  fears  and  apprehensions  lest 
those  men  whose  advice  had  for  several  years  past 
directed  the  administration  of  affairs,  should  again  be 
called  into  the  confidence  and  councils  of  govern- 
ment. We  beg  leave  to  represent  that  a  contempt 
for  your  people,  and  a  prodigality  and  waste  of  the 
public  revenues,  distinguished  their  administration ; 
we  therefore  deprecate  the  return  of  such  men  into 


400  APPENDIX. 

power  and  confidence,  as  dangerous  to  your  majesty's 
interest  and  the  welfare  of  your  people  ;  and  at  this 
awful  and  alarming  crisis,  most  humbly  throw  our- 
selves for  relief  on  the  benevolence  and  affection  of 
our  most  gracious  sovereign,  in  humble  confidence 
that  his  majesty  will  be  pleased  to  restore  to  a  grate- 
ful nation,  the  prospect  of  those  blessings  which  we 
so  anxiously  hoped  for,  and  call  again  to  your  coun- 
cils those  men  whose  measures  must  ensure  the 
prosperity  and  strength  of  the  empire,  and  in  whom 
your  people  place  their  hopes  and  their  confidence. 

Subscribed  by  twenty-two  thousand  two  hundred 
and  fifty-one  signatures,  presented  to  the  king  at  St. 
James's,  22d  of  April,  1795. 


To  his  excellency,  William,  Earl   Fitzwilliam,  lord-lieutenant, 
general,  and  general  governor  of  Ireland. 

The  address  of  the  freeholders  and  inhabitants  of  the  county  of 
Wexford,  convened  by  public  notice,  at  the  court-house  at  Wex- 
ford, 23d  March,  1795,  Cornelius  Grogan,  Esq.,  in  the  chair  : — 

May  it  please  your  Excellency — We,  the  free- 
holders and  inhabitants  of  the  county  of  Wexford, 
beg  leave,  in  the  present  alarming  state  of  affairs  in 
this  kingdom,  to  express  to  your  excellency  the  sen- 
timents of  regret  which  we  feel  at  the  information 
we  have  received  of  your  excellency's  departure  from 
this  kingdom. 

When  we  beheld  your  lordship  commencing  your 
government  in  this  country  by  the  proposition  of 
measures  the  most  just  and  the  most  politic,  the  re- 
moval of  civil  distinctions  on  account  of  differences 
in  religious  opinions,  and  the  investigation  of  abuses 
which  time  and  corruption  had  introduced  into  some 
departments  of  the  state — when  we  beheld  your 
lordship  calling  to  your  councils  those  men  who 
were  most  conspicuous  in  the  nation  for  their  attach- 


APPENDIX.  401 

ment  to  its  interests  and  the  true  spirit  of  the  consti- 
tution— men  in  whose  integrity  the  people  placed 
their  hopes  and  their  confidence,  we  exulted  in  the 
glad  proposal  of  union  and  harmony,  and  we  antici- 
pated with  joy  the  approaching  happiness  of  the  peo- 
ple. The  honest  and  virtuous  were  inspirited,  the 
corrupt,  the  factious,  and  the  rapacious  oppressor 
alone  felt  disappointment  and  chagrin. 

But  should  your  excellency  withdraw  from  the 
government  of  Ireland,  these  our  most  anxious  hopes 
must  yield  to  apprehension  and  despondency :  we 
dread  lest  a  set  of  men,  as  odious  as  they  are  vin- 
dictive and  tyrannical,  should  return  into  power,  and 
revive  a  system  of  measures  which  disunited  the 
people,  and  were  dangerous  to  his  majesty's  interests 
and  the  safety  of  his  kingdom.  The  memory  of  the 
unhappy  discontents  and  divisions,  which  were  pro- 
duced by  the  evil  counsels  of  such  men,  heightens 
our  regret  at  the  recall  of  a  governor  whose  wise 
and  conciliatory  measures  would  have  infallibly  pro- 
moted the  union  of  the  people,  the  strength  of  the 
nation,  and  the  stability  of  the  constitution. 

Happy  then  in  that  reward  which  the  good  and 
virtuous  alone  can  know — the  consciousness  of  an 
upright  mind — receive,  from  a  grateful  people,  their 
thanks  and  their  gratitude.  And  may  our  gracious 
sovereign,  when  he  shall  have  dismissed  from  his 
councils  those  men  who  have,  unfortunately  for  this 
country,  too  long  beset  his  throne,  finally  bestow  on 
your  lordship  every  royal  favor  to  which  your  ser- 
vices and  your  virtues  so  justly  entitle  you. 
Signed  by  order  of  the  meeting. 

Cornelius  Grogan,  Chairman, 
Thomas  Richards,  Secretary. 


402  APPENDIX. 

Among  the  many  losses  the  author  sustained  du- 
ring the  distracted  state  of  the  county  of  Wexford, 
he  has,  on  this  occasion,  particularly  to  lament  the 
answer  of  Earl  Fitzwilliara.  Independent  of  its 
prophetic  allusion,  it  also  contained  sentiments  that 
would  be  highly  gratifying  to  the  friends  of  Ireland. 
This,  and  many  other  unavoidable  wants  in  this 
work,  it  is  to  be  hoped  may  be  given  to  the  public 
in  a  future  publication. 


No.  VII. 

At  a  numerous  meeting  of  the  magistrates  of  the  county  of  Ar- 
magh, convened  on  the  28th  of  December,  1795,  at  the  special 
instance  of  Lord  Gosford,  governor.  His  lordship  having  taken 
the  chair,  opened  the  business  of  the  meeting  by  the  follovsing 
address  : — 

Gentlemen — Having  requested  your  attendance 
here  this  day,  it  becomes  my  duty  to  state  the  grounds 
upon  which  I  thought  it  advisable  to  propose  this 
meeting,  and  at  the  same  time  to  submit  to  your 
consideration  a  plan  which  occurs  to  me  as  most 
likely  to  check  the  enormities  that  have  already 
brought  disgrace  upon  this  county,  and  may  soon  re- 
duce it  into  deep  distress. 

It  is  no  secret,  that  a  persecution,  accompanied 
with  all  the  circumstances  of  ferocious  cruelty  which 
have  in  all  ages  distinguished  that  dreadful  calamity, 
is  now  raging  in  this  county.  Neither  age  nor  sex, 
nor  even  acknowledged  innocence  as  to  any  guilt  in 
the  late  disturbances,  is  sufficient  to  excite  mercy, 
much  less  to  afford  protection. 

The  only  crime  w^hich  the  wretched  objects  of  this 
ruthless  persecution  are  charged  with,  is  a  crime, 
indeed,  of  easy  proof — it  is  simply  a  profession  of 
the  Roman  Catholic  faith,  or  an  intimate  connection 
with  a  person  professing  this  faith.     A  lawless  ban- 


APPENDIX.  403 

ditti  have  constituted  themselves  judges  of  this  new 
species  of  delinquency,  and  the  sentence  they  de- 
nounce is  equally  concise  and  terrible  !  It  is  nothing 
less  than  a  confiscation  of  all  property,  and  an  im- 
mediate banishment. 

It  would  be  extremely  painful,  and  surely  unne- 
cessary to  detail  the  horrors  that  attend  the  execu- 
tion of  so  rude  and  tremendous  a  proscription — a 
proscription  that  certainly  exceeds,  in  the  compara- 
tive number  of  those  it  consigns  to  ruin  and  misery, 
every  example  that  ancient  or  modern  history  can 
supply  :  for  where  have  we  heard,  or  in  what  story 
of  human  cruelties  have  we  read  of  more  than  half 
the  inhabitants  of  a  populous  countr}^  deprived  at  one 
blow  of  the  means  as  well  as  of  the  fruits  of  their  in- 
dustry, and  driven,  in  the  midst  of  an  inclement  sea- 
son, to  seek  a  shelter  for  themselves  and  their  help- 
less families  where  chance  may  guide  them? 

This  is  no  exaggerated  picture  of  the  horrid  scenes 
now  acting  in  this  county ;  yet  surely  it  is  sufficient 
to  awaken  sentiments  of  indignation  and  compassion 
in  the  coldest  bosoms.  These  horrors  are  now  act- 
ing with  impunity.  The  spirit  of  impartial  justice 
(without  which  law  is  nothing  better  than  an  instru- 
ment of  tyranny)  has  for  a  time  disappeared  in  this 
county,  and  the  supineness  of  the  magistracy  of  Ar- 
magh is  become  a  common  topic  of  conversation  in 
every  quarter  of  the  kingdom. 

It  is  said  in  reply — the  Catholics  are  dangerous — 
they  may  be  so — they  may  be  dangerous  from  their 
numbers,  and  still  more  dangerous  from  the  un- 
bounded views  they  have  been  encouraged  to  enter- 
tain ;  but  I  will  venture  to  assert,  without  fear  of 
contradiction,  that  these  proceedings  are  not  more 
contrary  to  humanity  than  they  are  to  sound  policy. 

It  is  to  be  lamented,  that  no  civil  magistrate  hap- 


404  APPENDIX. 

pened  to  be  present  with  the  military  detachment  on 
the  night  of  the  21st  instant ;  but  I  trust  the  sudden- 
ness of  the  occasion,  the  unexpected  and  instantane- 
ous aggression  on  the  part  of  the  delinquents,  will  be 
universally  admitted  as  a  full  vindication  of  the  con- 
duct of  the  officer  and  the  party  acting  under  his 
command. 

Gentlemen,  I  have  the  honor  to  hold  a  situation  in 
this  country,  which  calls  upon  me  to  deliver  my 
sentiments,  and  I  do  it  without  fear  and  without  dis- 
guise. 

I  am  as  true  a  Protestant  as  any  gentleman  in  this 
room.  I  inherit  a  property  which  my  family  derived 
under  a  Protestant  title ;  and,  with  the  blessing  of 
God,  I  will  maintain  that  title  to  the  utmost  of  my 
power.  I  will  never  consent  to  make  a  sacrifice  of 
Protestant  ascendency  to  Catholic  claims,  with  what- 
ever menace  they  may  be  urged,  or  however  spe- 
ciously or  invidiously  supported. 

Conscious  of  my  sincerity  in  this  public  declara- 
tion, which  I  do  not  make  unadvisedly,  but  as  the 
result  of  mature  deliberation,  I  defy  the  paltry  in- 
sinuations that  malice  or  party  spirit  may  suggest. 

I  know  my  own  heart,  and  I  should  despise  my- 
self, if,  under  any  intimidation,  I  should  close  my 
eyes  against  such  scenes  as  present  themselves  on 
ever}''  side,  or  my  ears  against  the  complaints  of  a 
persecuted  people. 

I  should  be  guilty  of  an  unpardonable  injustice  to 
the  feelings  of  gentlemen  here  present,  were  I  to  say 
more  on  this  subject.  I  have  now  acquitted  myself 
to  my  conscience  and  my  country,  and  take  the  lib- 
erty of  proposing  the  following  resolutions  : — 

1.  That  it  appears  to  this  meeting,  that  the  county 
of  Armagh  is  at  this  moment  in  a  state  of  uncommon 
disorder — that  the  Roman  Catholic  inhabitants  are 


APPENDIX.  405 

grievously  oppressed  by  lawless  persons  unknown, 
who  attack  and  plunder  their  houses  by  night,  and 
threaten  them  with  instant  destruction,  unless  they 
immediately  abandon  their  lands  and  habitations. 

2.  That  a  committee  of  magistrates  be  appointed 
to  sit  on  Tuesdays  and  Saturdays  in  the  chapter- 
room  in  the  town  of  Armagh,  to  receive  informations 
against  all  persons  of  whatever  description,  who  dis- 
turb the  peace  of  this  county. 

3.  That  the  instruction  of  the  whole  body  of 
magistrates  to  their  committee  shall  be,  to  use  every 
legal  means  within  their  power  to  stop  the  progress 
of  the  persecution  now  carrying  on  by  an  ungovern- 
able mob,  against  the  Roman  Catholic  inhabitants 
of  this  county. 

4.  That  said  committee,  or  any  three  of  them,  be 
empowered   to  expend  any  sum  or  sums  of  money, 
for  information  or  secret  service,  out  of  the  fund  sub 
scribed  by  the  gentlemen  of  this  county. 

5.  That  a  meeting  of  the  whole  body  of  the  magis- 
tracy be  held  every  second  Monday  at  the  house  of 
IMr.  Charles  Reynolds,  in  the  town  of  Armagh,  to 
hear  the  reports  of  the  committee,  and  to  give  such 
further  instructions  as  the  exigency  of  the  case  may 
require. 

6.  That  offenders  of  every  description  in  the  pres- 
ent disturbances,  shall  be  prosecuted  out  of  the  fund 
subscribed  by  the  gentlemen  of  this  county. 

From  "  The  Dublin  Journal"  of  January  the  5th,  1795, 
and  copied  in  all  the  papers  in  Ireland, 


406  APPENDIX. 


No.  VIII. 

Adjutant  General's  Office. 

Dublin,  26th  Februar>',  1798. 

General  Orders. — The  very  disgraceful  fre- 
quency of  courts-martial,  and  the  many  complaints 
of  irregularities  in  the  conduct  of  the  troops  in  this 
kingdom,  having  too  unfortunately  proved  the  army 
to  be  in  a  state  of  licentiousness,  which  must  render  it 
formidable  to  every  one  but  the  enemy  ;  the  com- 
mander-in-chief thinks  it  necessary  to  demand  from 
all  generals  commanding  districts  and  brigades,  as 
well  as  commanding  officers  of  regiments,  that  they 
exert  themselves,  and  compel  from  all  officers  under 
their  command,  the  strictest  and  most  unremitting 
attention  to  the  discipline,  good  order,  and  conduct 
of  their  men,  such  as  may  restore  the  high  and  dis- 
tinguished reputation  the  British  troops  have  been 
accustomed  to  enjoy  in  every  part  of  the  world.  It 
becomes  necessary  to  recur,  and  most  pointedly  to 
attend  to  the  standing  orders  of  the  kingdom,  which, 
at  the  same  time  that  they  direct  military  assistance 
to  be  given  at  the  requisition  of  the  civil  magistrate, 
positively  forbid  the  troops  to  act  (but  in  case  of  at- 
tack) without  his  presence  and  authority ;  and  the 
most  clear  and  precise  orders  are  to  be  given  to  the 
officer  commanding  the  party  for  this  purpose.  The 
utmost  prudence  and  precaution  are  also  to  be  used 
in  granting  parties  to  revenue  officers,  both  with  re- 
spect to  the  person  requiring  such  assistance,  and 
those  employed  on  the  duty ;  whenever  a  guard  is 
mounted,  patroles  must  be  frequently  sent  out  to 
take  up  every  soldier  who  may  be  found  out  of  his 
quarters  after  his  hours. 

A  very  culpable  remissness  having  also  appeared 


APPENDIX.  407 

on  the  part  of  officers,  respecting  the  necessary  in- 
spection of  barracks,  quarters,  messes,  &c.,  as  well 
as  attendance  at  roll-calls,  and  other  hours,  com- 
manding officers  must  enforce  the  attention  of  those 
under  their  command  to  those  points,  and  the  general 
regulations,  for  all  which  the  strictest  responsibility 
will  be  expected  for  themselves. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  the  discipline 
of  the  dragoon  regiments  should  be  minutely  attended 
to,  for  the  facilitating  of  which,  the  commander-in- 
chief  has  dispensed  with  the  attendance  of  orderly 
dragoons  on  himself,  and  desires  that  they  may  not 
be  employed  by  any  general  or  commanding  officer, 
but  on  military  and  indispensable  business. 

Lieutenant-General  Craig, 

Eastern  district. 
Barracks,  Dublin 


No.  IX. 

By  order  of  the  council  for  directing  the  affairs  of  the  people  of 
the  county  of  Wexford. 

Oaths  to  he  taken  by  all  the  united  army,  in  the  most  public  and 
solemn  manner. 

TEST    OATH. 

In  the  awful  presence  of  God,  I,  A.  B.,  do  volun- 
tarily declare,  that  I  will  persevere  in  endeavoring 
to  form  a  brotherhood  of  affection  among  Irishmen 
of  every  religious  persuasion ;  and  that  I  will  also 
persevere  in  my  endeavors  to  obtain  an  equal,  full, 
and  adequate  representation  of  all  the  people  of  Ire- 
land. I  do  further  declare,  that  neither  hopes,  fears, 
rewards,  nor  punishments,  not  even  death,  shall  ever 
induce  me,  directly  or  indirectly,  to  inform  on  or 
give  any  evidence  against  any  member  or  members 
of  this  or  similar  societies,  for  any  act  or  expression 


408  APPENDIX. 

of  theirs,  done  or  made  collectively  or  individually, 
in  or  out  of  this  society,  in  pursuance  of  the  spirit  of 
this  obligation.     So  help  me  God. 


Oath  of  a  private. 

I,  A.  B.,  do  solemnly  and  sincerely  swear,  and 
take  God,  and  his  only  Son  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
to  witness,  that  I  will  at  all  times  be  obedient  to  the 
commands  of  my  officers — that  I  am  ready  to  lay 
down  my  life  for  the  good  of  my  country — that  I 
have  an  aversion  to  plunder,  and  to  the  spilling  of 
innocent  blood — that  I  will  fight  courageously  in  the 
field,  and  have  mercy  where  it  can  be  given — that  I 
will  avoid  drunkenness  as  tending  to  disorder  and  ruin 
— that  I  will  endeavor  to  make  as  many  friends  and 
as  few  enemies  as  possible — that  above  all,  I  detest 
a  coward,  and  that  I  will  look  upon  him  as  an  enemy 
who  will  stand  back  in  the  time  of  battle.  So  help 
me  God. 


Oath  of  an  officer 
In  the  awful  presence  of  God,  who  knows  the 
hearts  and  thoughts  of  all  men,  and  calling  my  coun- 
try to  witness,  I,  A.  B.,  officer  in,  &:c.,  do  solemnly 
swear,  that  I  do  not  consider  my  life  my  own  when 
my  country  demands  it — that  I  consider  the  present 
moment  calls  for  a  proof  of  the  sincerity  of  that  sen- 
timent ;  and  I  am  ready  and  desirous  to  stand  the 
test ;  and  do  aver,  that  I  am  determined  to  die,  or 
lead  to  victory ;  and  that  all  my  actions  shall  be  di- 
rected to  the  prosperity  of  the  common  cause,  unin- 
fluenced by  any  inferior  motive  :  and  I  further  de- 
clare my  utter  aversion  to  all  alarmists,  union  break- 
ers, and  cowards,  and  my  respect  and  obedience  to 


APPENDIX.  40© 

the  commands  of  superior  officers.      So  help  me 
God. 

By  order  of  the  council, 

B.  B.  Harvey,  president. 

Nicholas  Gray,  secretary. 

Done  at  the  council  chamber, 
Wexford,  June  14,  1798. 


No.  X. 


To  Bregaddeer-Magar  Figgerald,  in  Waxford. 

Plaise  your  honour  as  you  war  good  enof  get  the 
general  to  give  us  pardon,  and  as  you  tould  us,  that 
if  there  was  an  occasion  youd  expect  that  weed  fite 
for  our  king  and  cuntry,  and  as  ever  willin'  to  be  up 
to  our  word,  we  send  this  paper  about  the  bisness  ; 
and  if  your  honour  'ill  give  us  leave  to  fite  weel  do 
every  thing  your  honour  bids  us,  and  we  minded  noth- 
ing else  to-morrow  but  to  fite  for  the  king's  officers 
against  the  French  ;  and  hopes  your  honour  wall  ex- 
cuse this  haste  an  we  wished  to  lose  no  time,  and 
excuse  our  not  nowing  how  to  write  to  such  generals, 
but  if  your  honour  will  get  a  memoral  drawn  rite, 
your  honour  may  depend  on  us  and  put  our  names 
to  it  for  us  as  in  the  inclosed.  O'Brien, 

Walsh,  and 
Sullivan. 


To  the  General  Hunter,   or  Governor  of  Wexford,  belonging  to 
King  George  the  Third. 

We  the  Macomore  boys  was  in  the  turn  out  against 
the  Orrange-men,  and  to  who  your  noble  honour 
gave  your  most  grasous  pardon,  for  we  never  de- 


410  APPENDIX. 

sarved  any  other  if  we  war  let  alone,  and  being  tould 
that  the  French  was  cumeing  to  take  this  cunttry 
from  his  royal  highness  the  king,  who  we  swore  to 
lite  for,  and  in  regard  to  our  oath  and  to  your  lord- 
ship's goodness  in  keeping  the  Orrange-men  from 
killing  us  all,  weel  fite  til  we  die  if  your  honour  will 
give  us  leave,  and  weel  go  in  front  of  the  battle,  and 
we  never  ax  to  go  in  the  back  of  the  army  your 
honour  will  send  wid  us,  and  if  we  don't  bate  them 
weel  never  ax  a  bit  to  eat,  and  as  you  gave  us  par- 
don and  spoke  to  the  king  about  us,  as  the  bregad- 
deer-magar  tould  us  and  as  we  tould  him  weed  never 
deceive  your  honour,  tho'  the  black  mob  says  weel 
turn  out  a  bit  again,  but  we'el  shew  them  and  the 
world  if  your  honour  will  bid  us,  that  weel  fite  and 
won't  run  away  from  the  best  of  them,  and  if  your 
honour  will  send  down  the  magar  that  was  wid  us 
from  your  lordship  afore,  or  the  Honorable  Magar 
Curry,  or  the  Lord  Sir  James  Fowler,  general  of  the 
Middle-lothin  sogers  in  Waxford,  and  let  them  lave 
word  at  Pepper's  castle  and  weel  march  into  Wax- 
ford,  go  where  your  honour  bids  us,  do  any  thing 
atal  to  fite  for  your  honours,  and  weel  expect  to  hear 
from  your  honour  what  weel  do  ;  or  if  your  honour 
will  order  a  signal  to  be  made  with  a  red  flag,  weel 
draw  up  and  march  as  good  as  any  sogers,  and,  as 
far  as  one  or  two  thoughsand  good  stout  boys  goes, 
w^eel  fite  for  your  honour  to  the  last  man,  and  weer 
sure  all  the  barneys  'ill  do  the  same  if  you  will  give 
them  lave. 

Signed  by  the   desire  of  all  the   parishes  in  the 
Mackomores,  O'Brien, 

Walsh,  and 
August  27th,  1798.  SuLLIVAN. 


APPENDIX.  411 

The  author  appUed  to  Major  Fitzgerald  for  au- 
thentic copies  of  the  addresses  to  him  and  General 
Hunter,  from  the  inhabitants  of  the  Macomores,  of- 
fering their  services  to  march  against  the  French,  and 
received  for  answer,  that  he  had  no  copies  by  him, 
although  such  addresses  had  been  forwarded,  but  not 
exactly  in  the  form  in  which  the  foregoing  are  there- 
fore unavoidably  introduced,  which  it  is  hoped  may 
be  sufficient  apology  for  the  burlesqued  manner  they 
appear  in,  however  intended  to  undo  the  innate  spirit 
and  intenlion  of  the  originals. 

Major  Fitzgerald  got  several  messages  and  notices 
from  the  Macomores,  respecting  the  arrival  of  Holt 
and  Hackett,  but  was  induced  to  set  out  immediately 
on  the  receipt  of  a  letter  from  a  respectable  gentle- 
man, who  does  not  wish  to  have  his  name  appear  in 
print,  but  is  authenticated  by  a  copy  in  the  hand- 
writing of  Major  Fitzgerald,  with  his  initials,  as  fol- 
lows : — 

Dear  Sir — I  am  requested  by  the  respectable  far- 
mers of  this  county  to  entreat  you  to  come  here  with- 
out delay,  as  the  people  are  much  agitated.  The 
industry  and  domestic  happiness  which  you  estab- 
lished among  them  seems  suspended  ;  and  to-mor- 
row appears  to  be  an  appointed  day  for  general  meet- 
ing. Your  appearance  would  certainly  quiet  the  dis- 
tracted people,  and  I  trust  your  humanity  and  ardent 
exertions  will  induce  you  to  interfere.  If  you  honor 
me  with  an  answer,  and  that  you  promise  the  people 
the  pleasure  of  a  visit,  the  most  respectable  farmers 
are  ready  to  attend  your  arrival,  and  accompany  you 
through  the  Macomores.  I  remain  in  anxious  ex- 
pectation of  seeing  you,  &c.  &c.  G.  S. 

C— h— e,  September  2d,  1798. 
To  Brigade-major  Fitzgerald. 


412  APPENDIX. 

No.  XL 
County  Wexford,    )       Stephen  Lett,  jun.,  upholder  and 
^°  ^^'^'  )  auctioneer,  of  Enniscorthy,  in  said 

county,  came  before  me  this  day,  and  maketh  oath 
on  the  Holy  Evangelists,  that  Captain  Philip  Hay 
called  upon  deponent  to  value  the  furniture  at  Bal- 
lenkeele,  which  he  was  to  take  from  his  brother, 
Edward  Hay,  and  which  he  understood  formed  part 
of  a  settlement  between  them,  previous  to  Mr.  Ed- 
ward Hay  leaving  Ballenkeele.  Deponent  accord- 
ingly attended  at  Ballenkeele  about  the  middle  of 
May  last,  and  on  the  valuation  being  made.  Captain 
Phihp  Hay  declared  they  were  too  dear,  and  would 
not  take  them.  Li  consequence  of  which,  Whitsun 
Monday  was,  as  a  holiday,  considered  the  best  day 
for  a  country-auction,  requiring  at  least  two  market 
days  to  post  up  printed  advertisements,  which  was 
accordingly  done.  Deponent  avers  that  Mr.  Edward 
Hay  was  distressed  at  this  delay,  as  it  was  quite 
contrary  to  his  inclinations,  as  lie  declared  his  inten- 
tions of  leaving  the  country  as  speedily  as  possible. 
Deponent  had  often  heard  Mr.  Edward  Hay  declare 
in  the  most  solemn  manner,  that  he  would  never  be- 
come a  member  of  any  political  society.  Deponent 
retreated  from  Enniscorthy  to  Wexford  along  with 
the  army,  on  the  28th  of  May,  1798,  and  the  day 
after  Wexford  was  taken  by  the  rebels,  while  depo- 
nent was  in  a  boat  along  with  Mr.  O'Toole  and  fami- 
ly, with  Mrs.  Lysler,  going  to  Edermine,  verily  be- 
lieves that  he  would  have  been  put  to  death,  had  not 
Mr.  Edward  Hay  thrown  himself  between  the  mob 
and  the  boat,  and  with  great  difficulty  kept  them  off 
with  a  stick,  until  he  slioved  the  boat  from  the  quay. 
Sworn  before  me  this  15th  of  November,  1798, 

Stephen  Lett,  jun.,  IsAAC  CoRNOCK. 

Sergeant  in  the  Enniscorthy  eavalrj'. 


APPENDIX.  413 

Wexford,  6th  January,  1799. 
Dear  Sir — I  received  yours,  and  shall  with  plea- 
sure say  every  thing  in  my  power  consistent  with 
honor  and  justice,  touching  your  character,  so  far  as 
I  am  capable  of  judging,  during  the  rebellion.  At 
that  time  I  considered  myself  honored  by  your  ac- 
quaintance, and  the  frequent  visits  I  paid  you  at 
Ballenkeele,  and  the  intimacy  that  existed  between 
us,  leads  me  to  believe  I  could  form  a  just  opinion  of 
your  principles  in  political  matters,  which  we  con- 
stantly talked  over.  I  most  solemnly  declare  I  never 
heard  you  drop  one  sentence  that  was  inimical  to  the 
constitution  or  government  of  our  country,  but  the 
reverse — reprobating  the  conduct  of  such  as  were 
disturbing  the  peace  of  the  country,  and  condemning 
their  proceedings  ;  and  I  have  heard  you  declare 
most  solemnly,  that  you  never  would  belong  to  any 
political  society  whatever.  Since  my  return  to  Wex- 
ford, after  the  country  was  recovered,  I  have  not 
heard  any  man  say  you  committed  an  act  that  would 
disgrace  your  name,  which  I  verily  believe,  from 
what  I  experienced,  and  also  was  informed  of  your 
humane  and  tender  actions  to  individuals  of  every 
description.  I  remain,  with  warmest  wishes  for 
your  speedy  liberation, 

Dear  Sir,  yours  most  truly, 

Arthur  Murphy, 

To  Edward  Hav,  Esq,  Lieut.  Healthfield  cavalry. 

Wexford  jail. 


County  Wexford,    j      Edward  Roche,   of   Garrilough, 
^°  ^'^'  )  who  acted  as  a  rebel  chief  in  the 

late  rebellion,  voluntarily  maketh  oath,  that  the  rebels 
vowed  vengeance  against  Mr.  Edward  Hay,  for  aid- 
ing and  assisting  the  late  Edward  Turner,  Esq.,  who 


414  APPENDIX. 

was  a  magistrate  for  said  county,  on  the  surrender 
of  their  arms  and  pikes  at  Newpark,  on  Saturday, 
the  26th  of  May,  1798,  thereby  supposing  him  their 
enemy.  Deponent  saith  that  the  rebels  constantly, 
during  the  rebelhon,  called  for  Mr.  Edward  Hay  to 
go  out  to  their  camps  and  take  the  command  ;  and 
if  said  Edward  would  not,  he  should  be  put  to  death 
by  them.  Deponent  saith  that,  from  the  hate  and 
violence  of  the  rebels,  and  their  threats  against  said 
Edward,  his  personal  safety  became  uncertain  and 
precarious  :  and  the  more  so,  as  frequent  represen- 
tations were  made  to  the  rebels  by  certain  persons 
that  had  influence  among  them,  that  said  Edward 
was  inimical  to  them.  Deponent  saith  that  said 
Edward  never  carried  arms,  attended  the  rebel 
camps,  or  did  any  thing  to  conciliate  the  rebels.  De- 
ponent sailh  he  was  in  Wexford  on  the  20th  of  June, 
1 798,  being  the  day  of  the  massacre  on  the  bridge, 
where  deponent  saw  Mr.  Edward  Hay  exert  himself 
with  zeal  and  activity  in  preventing  the  wicked  and 
blood-thirsty  designs  of  the  rebels  ;  and  saith  that  the 
said  Edward,  in  so  doing,  exposed  himself  to  almost 
inevitable  destruction.  Deponent  saith  that  the  rebels 
loudly  declared  Mr.  Hay  to  be  their  enemy — that  his 
whole  designs  were  to  protect  their  enemies,  the 
Orangemen ;  and  if  he  was  not  one  himself,  he 
would  not  oppose  them,  (the  rebels,)  and  exert  him- 
self for  the  protection  of  Orangemen. 

Sworn  before  me  this  18th  day  of  April,  1799, 
Edward  Roche.  EbeN.  JaCOB. 


Dear  Sir — In  compliance  with  your  request,  and 
having  received  a  summons  to  attend  your  trial,  I 
shall  relate  the  circumstances  I  recollect  of  your  con- 
duct during  the  rebellion,  as  you  mention  you  want 
to  have  your  instructions  made  out  for  your  lawyers 


APPENDIX.  415 

previous  to  the  assizes.  I  was  taken  prisoner  along 
with  Lord  Kingsborough  and  Captain  O'Hea,  on  the 
2d  day  of  June,  1798.  We  were  confined  together 
in  a  house  in  Wexford,  with  a  strong  guard  on  us. 
From  the  great  fury  of  the  people  against  Lord 
Kingsborough,  we  expected  every  moment  to  be  put 
to  death.  Mr.  Edward  Hay  visited  us  frequently, 
and  we  clearly  perceived  his  disposition  to  afford  us 
every  consolation  in  his  power,  as  he  took  every  op- 
portunity he  could  of  softening  our  captivity,  and  has 
frequently  conducted  my  wife  and  family  to  see  me, 
at  a  time  it  was  extremely  dangerous  to  seem  or  ap- 
pear friendly  to  us.  Whenever  we  experienced  any 
kind  of  distress,  we  always  sent  for  Mr.  Hay,  who 
readily  came  to  us,  and  never  left  us  without  our  be- 
ing convinced  he  would  do  his  utmost  to  be  of  ser- 
vice to  us.  I  have  every  reason  to  believe  he  saved 
our  lives  on  several  occasions,  when  the  mob  were 
for  bringing  us  out  and  putting  us  to  death.  One 
day  in  particular,  I  perfectly  recollect  his  standing 
with  his  back  to  the  door  of  the  house  in  which  we 
were  confined,  where  he  remained  until  the  tumul- 
tuous crowd  had  dispersed,  who  sought  our  instant 
destruction.  I  always  heard  Mr.  Hay  express  his 
horror  at  any  barbarous  proceeding  of  the  rebels,  and 
his  earnest  wish  that  peace  and  good  order  might  be 
restored.  Various  reports  being  circulated,  that 
tended  to  rouse  and  irritate  the  passions  of  the  peo- 
ple to  revenge,  that  the  army  had  committed  the 
greatest  excesses,  which  alarmed  us  and  all  the  rest 
of  the  prisoners  in  Wexford  for  our  situation;  we  as 
usual  consulted  Mr.  Hay  on  this  peculiar  cause  of 
distress,  and  found  him  particularly  anxious  to  for- 
ward a  treaty  of  negotiation  of  prisoners,  proposed 
by  Lord  Kingsborough  as  the  best  mode  of  re-estab- 
lishing peace  and  good  order.    Daring  this  dilemma, 


416  APPENDIX. 

letters  had  been  forwarded  through  the  rebel  camps 
from  Dublin  to  Lord  Kingsborough,  in  answer  to 
which  was  considered  a  favorable  opportunity  of 
forwarding  this  measure,  which  Mr.  Hay  readily 
undertook ;  and  he  accordingly  conducted  Captain 
M'Manus  to  consult  with  us,  and  in  consequence  a 
letter  was  written  by  Lord  Kingsborough,  in  the 
name  of  all  the  prisoners,  among  whom  were  thir- 
teen officers,  a  great  number  of  yeomanry  officers, 
and  principal  gentlemen  of  the  county,  intimating  that 
they  were  well  treated,  and  in  every  respect  prison- 
ers of  war ;  hoping,  therefore,  that  the  prisoners  taken 
by  the  army  might  meet  with  the  like  good  treatment 
that  they  did,  otherwise  they  feared  reprisals  might  be 
made,  and  our  destruction  inevitable,  which  proposal 
was  confided  to  my  charge,  and  with  which  I  was  to 
proceed  to  the  next  commanding  officer  of  the  army, 
and  to  return  with  the  answer  with  all  convenient 
speed.  I  accordingly  set  out  from  Wexford  on  the 
14th  day  of  June,  1798,  and  proceeded  as  far  as  En- 
niscorthy,  where  I  was  stopped  by  the  people,  and 
not  allowed  to  proceed  any  further,  and  obliged  to  re- 
turn to  Wexford  the  next  day,  at  which  disappoint- 
ment we  felt  our  situation  more  alarming  than  ever, 
and  experienced  in  a  greater  degree  the  consoling 
visits  of  Mr.  Hay,  who  was  truly  concerned  at  this 
disappointment.  I  never  knew  nor  heard  of  Mi. 
Hay  having  any  command  among  the  rebels,  nor  did 
I  ever  see  him  appear  in  arms  or  wear  any  mark  or 
distinction  of  uniform,  Avhich  I  had  a  daily  opportu- 
nity of  witnessing  had  it  been  so,  as  the  house  in 
which  we  were  confined  was  situated  in  the  bull- 
ring, and  commanded  a  full  view  of  the  most  frequent- 
ed streets  in  Wexford,  through  which  all  the  armed 
men  in  the  town  passed  and  repassed  twice  a  day. 
Among  the  many^ttentions  paid  us  by  Mr.  Hay, 


APPENDIX.  417 

he  brought  us  letters  that  had  been  directed  to  us, 
and  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  rebels,  which  if 
made  public  to  them  might  have  proved  our  instant 
destruction,  for  which  piece  of  service  Mr.  Hay  nar- 
rowly escaped  with  his  life,  as  Captain  Keugh,  who 
then  commanded  in  Wexford,  expressed  great  anger 
on  hearing  it  from  Lord  Kingsborough,  who  inad- 
vertently mentioned  Mr.  Hay  having  done  so,  and 
Mr.  Hay  was  afterwards  constantly  prevented  from 
visiting  us  by  order  of  Captain  Keugh. 

On  the  20th  day  of  June,  1798,  the  day  of  the 
massacre  on  the  bridge  of  Wexford,  considering  our 
situation  more  critical  than  ever,  we  wished  to  see 
Mr.  Hay  ;  Lord  Kingsborough  sent  for  him,  and  he 
immediately  attended,  but  was  denied  admittance  to 
us,  but  he  spoke  to  him  out  of  the  window,  and  he 
declared  to  us,  that  as  long  as  he  was  alive  himself, 
we  might  depend  upon  every  exertion  of  his.  We 
had  at  last  the  consolation  of  Mr.  Hay  being  admit- 
ted up  stairs  to  us  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening  ;  we 
found  him  beyond  expression  affected  at  the  cruelties 
that  had  been  committed,  which  he  had  in  vain  done 
every  thing  in  his  power  to  prevent,  and  anxious  to 
undertake  any  thing  for  the  safety  of  the  prisoners. 
After  a  variety  of  consultation,  Lord  Kingsborough 
and  Mr.  Hay  agreed  to  go  out  to  meet  the  army  that 
was  approaching  Wexford,  in  order  to  save  the  town 
from  destruction.  The  Wexford-men  that  had  gone 
out  of  the  town  that  day,  returned  from  the  battle  of 
Fooks's-mill  while  Mr.  Hay  was  still  with  us  ;  he 
then  proposed  to  go  and  consult  the  principal  inhab- 
itants, who  he  had  not  the  smallest  doubt  would  agree 
to  and  facilitate  the  plan  :  it  being  then  late  at  night, 
he  promised  to  return  early  in  the  morning  to  set  off 
along  with  Lord  Kingsborough,  who  was  so  anxious  to 
carry  this  project  into  execution,  that  he  was  dressed 


418  APPENDIX. 

in  full  regimentals,  and  completely  ready  to  set  out 
at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  21st  of  June, 
1798,  at  which  time  he  sent  for  Mr.  Hay,  who  in- 
stantly came,  represented  to  Lord  Kingsborough  the 
danger  of  his  going  out  equipped  as  he  was,  for  it 
would  prove  their  inevitable  destruction,  if  they  went 
without  the  consent  of  the  people.  Lord  Kingsbo- 
rough then  entreated  Mr.  Hay  to  hasten  a  meeting 
of  the  principal  inhabitants,  and  to  have  the  drum 
beat  to  arms,  and  the  men  would  speedily  repair  to 
parade,  where  their  consent  might  be  obtained,  as  the 
smallest  delay  would  prove  the  destruction  of  the 
town  and  all  its  inhabitants.  Mr.  Hay  instantly  com- 
plied, and  returned  with  an  account  of  the  Wexford- 
men  having  agreed  to  the  plan  with  the  greatest 
alacrity,  and  it  had  been  further  resolved  on,  that 
Lord  Kingsborough  should  not  leave  the  town,  which 
should  be  instantly  surrendered  to  him  as  military 
commander ;  and  that  Doctor  Jacob  had  re-assumed 
the  office  of  mayor,  all  of  which  was  immediately 
carried  into  effect,  with  some  opposition  on  the  part 
of  Captain  Keugh,  who  wanted  to  retain  the  com- 
mand, but  was  most  spiritedly  opposed  by  Mr.  Hay. 
Mr.  Hay  set  off  with  Captain  M'^Manus,  as  soon  as 
Lord  Kingsborough  could  write  out  the  necessary 
dispatches  to  the  next  commanding  officer  of  his  ma- 
jesty's forces,  announcing  the  town  of  Wexford  be- 
ing surrendered  to  him  ;  and  that  in  consequence  of 
the  behavior  of  those  in  the  town  during  the  rebel- 
lion, they  should  all  be  protected  in  person  and  prop- 
erty, murderers  excepted,  aiid  those  loho  had  insti- 
gated others  to  commit  murder,  hoping  that  these 
terms  might  be  ratified,  as  he  had  pledged  his  honor 
in  the  most  solemn  manner  to  have  these  terms  ful- 
filled on  the  town  being  surrendered  to  him,  the 
Wexford -men  not  being  concerned  in  the  massacre 


APPENDIX.  419 

which  was  perpetrated  by  country  people  in  their 
absence.  I  saw  Mr.  Hay  on  his  return  from  Gen- 
eral Lake  on  the  22d  day  of  June,  1 798,  when  Lord 
Kingsborough  considered  himself  under  so  many  ob- 
ligations to  him,  which  he  acknowledged  in  the 
strongest  terms,  and  insisted  he  should  live  in  the 
house  with  him,  where  Mr.  Hay  remained  with  us 
until  we  left  Wexford  on  the  29th  of  June,  during 
which  period  I  have  repeatedly  heard  him  express  a 
desire  to  be  brought  to  trial  if  any  thing  was  alleged 
against  him,  as  he  would  wish  to  have  the  benefit  of 
our  testimony  before  we  went  to  Waterford.  I  con- 
sider myself  bound  on  all  occasions  that  may  be  af- 
forded me,  and  I  think  it  an  indispensable  duty,  to  do 
justice  to  the  meritorious  conduct  of  Mr.  Hay  during 
the  rebellion  in  Wexford  ;  and  actuated  by  principles 
of  honor  and  gratitude  I  think  myself  bound  to  prove 
and  subscribe  to. 

Michael  Bourke, 

Sallins,  June  3d,  1799.  Paymaster  North  Cork  militia. 

To  Edward  Hay,  Esq.,  Wexford  jail. 


I  believe   the  above  account  of  Mr.  Bourke,  with 
the  alteration  I  have  made,  to  be  true.* 

Kingston. 


Colney,  December  14th,  1799. 
Sir — From  what  I  saw  of  your  conduct  while  I 
was  at  Wexford  a  prisoner,  I  am  convinced  that  you 
did  all  in  your  power  to  save  the  people  whom  the 
rebels  wished  to  murder,  and  myself  among  that 
number ;  and  it  was  through  you  that  the  town  of 
Wexford  was  given  up  to  me,  which  circumstance  I 
believe  saved  the  lives  of  many  ;  and  by  what  I  have 

*  Alteration  alluded  to  is  in  italic 


420  APPENDIX. 

heard  from  you  of  your  trial,  do  think  you  have  been 
very  unjustly  persecuted. 

I  am  your  most  obedient  humble  servant, 

Kingston. 

To  Edward  Hay,  Esq. 


Dublin,  March  19,  1800. 

Sir — According  to  your  request  I  have  made  a 
proper  retrospect  on  the  circumstances  you  allude  to 
in  your  letter  of  the  17th,  and  recollect  perfectly 
when  a  memorial  was  presented  to  Major-general 
Hunter  on  your  part,  from  on  board  a  prison  ship, 
denying  that  you  had  ever  petitioned  for  transporta- 
tion, and  to  be  liberated  under  the  general  proclama- 
tion ;  that  the  general  had  a  very  good  disposition  to 
liberate  you,  and  believe  would  have  complied  with 
your  petition,  but  on  questioning  the  committee,  they 
slill  asserted  you  had  petitioned  for  transportation. 
General  Hunter  declared  if  so,  you  should  apply  to 
his  excellency  the  lord-lieutenant,  and  if  you  wished 
it  would  forward  such  memorial.  When  you  were 
afterwards  removed  from  the  prison-ship  to  the  jail 
on  account  of  ill  health,  through  the  interference  of 
General  Craddock  a  recommendation  came  by  which 
I  was  sent  to  3^ou  to  inquire  more  particularly  into 
your  situation,  when  you  demonstrated  the  facts  so 
clearly  to  me  by  documents,  &c.  I  had  every  reason 
to  believe  the  general  would  liberate  you  on  discov- 
ering the  iniquitous  designs  of  the  committee,  as  I 
conceived  you  had  sufficient  proofs  to  show  the  fal- 
sity of  their  assertions  ;  but  unfortunately  for  you  at 
that  period,  the  landing  of  the  French  in  this  king- 
dom obliged  the  general  to  depart  hastily  from  Wex- 
ford, which  left  you  and  many  more  innocent  per- 
sons the  victims  of  a  persecuting  sanguinary  party, 


APPENDIX.  421 

which  I  call  that  vile  body,  commonly  called  the 
committee  !  ! 

However,  I  congratulate  you  on  your  happy  es- 
cape from  becoming  the  victim  of  suborned  perjury, 
which  to  my  knowledge  was  too  commonly  resorted 
to  in  that  town,  under  the  pretext  of  law. 

I  regret  exceedingly  General  Hunter  is  not  in  the 
realm,  as  you  would  be  certain  to  meet  from  him 
every  honorable  testimony  of  your  situation,  as  he 
never  countenanced  party  of  any  kind,  and  was  al- 
ways ready  to  relieve  the  oppressed.  I  shall  be 
happy  at  any  time  to  come  forward  to  attest  any 
thing  that  comes  to  my  recollection,  and  should  long 
since  unveil  the  horrid  atrocious  practices  of  that 
town,  if  my  public  duties  did  not  interfere.  I  wish 
you  may  succeed  in  getting  redress  ;  and  have  the 
honor  to  remain. 

Sir,  your  obedient  humble  servant, 

B.  Edward  Fitzgerald, 

Major  of  brigade. 
To  Edward  Hav,  Esq. 


County  of  Wexford,  i       Margaret   Breen,    the  wife    of 

^"^  '''^^'  S  Matthew   Breen,   of  the   town   of 

Wexford,  mariner,  came  before  me  this  day,  freely 
and  voluntarily  maketh  oath  on  the  holy  Evangelists, 
and  saith  that  she  was  on  board  the  sloop  Liberty  in 
the  harbor  of  Wexford,  on  the  29lh  day  of  May — the 
day  before  Wexford  was  surrendered  to  the  rebels. 
Saith  that  on  the  same  day  deponent  saw  Mr.  Ed- 
ward Hay  take  shipping  on  board  the  vessel  called 
the  Adventure,  of  Wexford,  as  deponent  believes,  to 
make  his  escape  from  the  said  town.  Saith  that  on  the 
31st  day  of  May,  1798 — being  the  day  after  the  town 
was  possessed  by  the  rebels — a  furious  mob  came 
calling  loudly  for  Edward  Turner,  Esq.,  deceased, 


422  APPEi^DlX. 

late  magistrate  for  said  county  ;  declaring  they  would 
put  him  to  death  at  the  same  moment,  and  were 
about  to  destroy  the  house  wherein  he  the  said  Ed- 
ward Turner  was  concealed.  Saith  that  the  said 
Mr.  Hay  being  informed  of  the  designs  of  the  said 
mob,  interfered  for  Mr.  Turner's  protection,  and  ex- 
postulated with  them,  saying  that  Mr.  Turner  was 
his  most  intimate  friend,  that  he  w^as  a  good  charita- 
ble man,  and  a  protector  of  the  poor.  Saith  that  the 
mob,  on  the  warm  solicitations  of  Mr.  Hay,  were  in- 
duced to  withhold  their  design  of  murdering  Mr. 
Turner ;  but  insisted  on  his  being  sent  a  prisoner  to 
the  jail.  Deponent  saith  that  in  some  few  days  after 
tiie  town  was  so  possessed  by  the  rebels,  she  saw  a 
great  multitude  assemble  in  a  clamorous  and  riotous 
manner  near  the  house  where  Lord  Kingsborough 
and  two  other  officers  of  the  North  Cork  regiment 
of  militia  were  prisoners  :  saith  the  rebels  seemed 
furiously  determined  to  bring  the  said  prisoners  out 
and  put  them  to  death.  Deponent  saith  she  saw  the 
said  Edward  Hay  interpose  for  their  preservation, 
and  addressed  the  mob  in  terms  strongly  reprobating 
the  idea  of  killing  in  cold  blood,  and  that  the  ven- 
geance of  God  would  overtake  all  murderers.  Depo- 
nent saith  that  she  has  frequently  heard  the  rebels 
threaten  the  lives  of  Lord  Kingsborough  and  his  of- 
ficers ;  and  believes  their  safety  and  protection  in  a 
great  measure  attributable  to  the  efforts  of  the  said 
Edward  Hay.  Deponent  was  summoned  on  Mr. 
Hay's  trial,  and  this  affidavit  is  the  substance  of  her 
testimony,  had  she  been  deemed  necessary  to  be 
called  on. 

Sworn  before  me  this  17th  day  of  August,  1799, 

Eben.  Jacob. 
Margaret  Br££N. 


APPENDIX.  423 

Dear  Sir — I  shall  be  happy  to  bear  testimony  upon 
any  occasion  that  may  be  afforded  me,  of  such  parts 
of  your  conduct  as  came  within  my  observation  du- 
ring the  late  unhappy  rebellion.  In  the  first  instance, 
1  perfectly  recollect  that  on  the  27th  of  May  last, 
you  joined  the  corps  of  yeomanry  to  which  I  belong, 
but  from  appearing  in  colored  clothes  in  common 
with  a  few  other  persons  who  had  offered  their  ser- 
vices, it  was  thought  advisable  by  the  officer  com- 
manding the  party,  that  such  persons  as  were  not  in 
militaiy  uniform  should  return  to  Wexford.  For  the 
space  of  fifteen  days,  I  had  frequent  opportunities  of 
seeing  and  hearing  of  your  conduct,  which  I  believe 
to  have  been  strongly  marked  by  mildness  and  hu- 
manity, and  an  abhorrence  of  the  excesses  that  were 
daily  committing,  which  you  had  it  not  in  your  pow- 
er to  prevent ;  nor  did  I  ever  see  you  carry  arms 
during  that  period.  I  have  to  acknowledge  many 
kind  and  friendly  visits  from  you  during  my  confine- 
ment, when  you  gave  me,  Mrs.  Browne,  her  sister 
Mrs.  Huson,  and  family,  all  the  consolation  in  your 
power ;  but  in  particular,  after  I  had  been  dragged 
down  to  jail  by  a  party  of  the  rebels,  you  immediate- 
ly repaired  there,  used  your  exertions,  brought  down 
General  Roche,  and  happily  for  me  you  succeeded 
in  effecting  my  release.  After  this  I  was  advised  to 
go  to  my  own  house  in  the  country,  but  being  again 
made  a  prisoner  there,  and  being  surrounded  by  nu- 
merous perils,  in  the  midst  of  my  distress  you  wrote 
a  most  friendly  letter,  which  was  delivered  to  Mrs. 
Browne  in  the  most  secret  manner,  communicating 
the  violent  threats  you  had  heard  against  me  in 
Wexford,  and  recommending  me  to  return  to  town, 
in  order  to  refute  the  charges  that  had  been  brought 
against  me.  Upon  the  whole,  I  am  convinced  that 
your  conduct  towards  me  was  solely  actuated   by 


424  APPENDIX. 

motives  of  esteem  and  regard  for  my  preservation, 
for  which  I  should  be  happy  to  render  you  any  ade- 
quate kindness.  I  am  well  convinced  that  during 
the  disastrous  period  of  three  weeks — while  the  reb- 
els had  possession  of  Wexford — many  loyal  subjects 
were  obliged  to  act  in  a  manner  repugnant  to  their 
feeling,  in  order  to  save  their  lives  and  please  the 
multitude,  who  threatened  vengeance  against  many 
persons  for  not  aiding  and  assisting  in  their  designs. 
Your  letter  dated  the  18th  ult.  I  assure  you  I  never 
received  till  about  one  o'clock  yesterday,  when  it 
was  handed  to  me  in  the  court-house,  which  will 
apologize  for  my  not  attending  to  it  in  due  time. 
I  am,  dear  Sir, 
Your  obliged  and  faithful  humble  servant, 
Armstrong  Browne, 

First  Lieutenant  Shilmalier  cavalry 
Wexford,  2d  April,  1799. 
To  Edward  Hay,  Esq. 


No.  XII. 

Testimony  of  Ehenezer  Jacob,  Esq.,  M.D.,  on  the  trial  of  Edward 
Hay,  at  the  assizes  of  Wexford,  on  the  27th  of  July,  1799,  pro- 
duced and  sworn  as  an  evidence  for  the  crown. 

Examined  by  Timothy  Driscol,  Esq. 

Recollects  the  time  in  1798,  when  the  rebels  were 
in  possession  of  Wexford ;  was  in  Wexford  during 
that  period ;  knows  the  prisoner  ;  believes  the  first 
time  he  saw  Mr.  Hay  after  the  rebels  came  into 
Wexford,  was  when  he  was  inquiring  where  General 
Fitzgerald  was  ;  heard  he  was  at  Mr.  Lett's,  where 
Mr.  Bagnal  Harvey  lodged  ;  went  to  Mr.  Lett's  and 
found  him  there  ;  to  the  best  of  his  recollection,  he 
saw  Mr.  Hay,  Captain  Keugh,  and  Mr.  Harvey ; 
cannot  say  in  what  situation  Bagnal  Harvey  acted 
during  the  rebellion  ;  saw  Keugh  at  the  head  of  a 


APPENDIX.  425 

party  of  rebels  in  arms  ;  has  seen  Keugli  act  as  an 
officer;  has  no  positive  knowledge  of  a  committee 
existing  in  Wexford  at  that  time  ;  saw  Mr.  Hay 
again  passing  by  with  Mr.  Harvey  ;  said  they  were 
going  to  give  circulation  to  bank-notes  ;  does  not  be- 
lieve there  was  any  one  else  in  company  with  them  ; 
believes  he  saw  them  near  the  court-house,  moving 
on  to  the  left  of  the  town  ;  remembers  the  21st  of 
June,  1798;  was  called  on  by  Robert  Meyler,  who 
told  him  several  persons  were  at  Keugh's,  and  re- 
quested he  would  go  there  ;  went  accordingly,  and 
saw  the  prisoner  at  Keugh's  house  ;  saw  Keugh, 
Harvey,  R.  Carty,  priest  Roche,  and  several  others, 
whose  names  he  does  not  recollect,  in  company  with 
prisoner ;  Keugh  asked  if  they  should  speak  on  the 
subject  Doctor  Jacob  was  sent  for  ?  Hay  said  yes, 
and  he  did  so  ;  Keugh  said,  it  would  be  madness  not 
to  surrender  the  town,  as  there  were  great  numbers 
of  the  king's  troops  marching  in  different  ways  to 
Wexford  ;  one  army  he  said  was  marching  from 
Taghmon,  another  from  Oulart,  and  a  third  from 
Enniscorthy  ;  they  all  immediately  agreed  but  priest 
Roche,  who  was  overruled.  It  was  proposed  that 
he  and  Robert  Carty  should  go  with  a  flag  of  truce 
to  the  Taghmon  army,  and  that  the  prisoner  and 
Captain  M'Manus  should  go  to  the  Oulart  army ; 
Captain  M'Manus  was  selected  as  a  loyalist ;  cannot 
tell  why  Mr.  Hay  was  selected  ;  cannot  say  whether 
Keugh  gave  any  reason  for  coupling  them  ;   Captain 

O'Hea  and were  sent  to  the  Enniscorthy  army  ; 

Mr.  Hay  consented  to  go  ;  spoke  to  that  effect  and 
went ;  the  persons  he  met  at  Keugh's  were  of  a  tol- 
erable degree,  persons  he  conceived  of  high  situation, 
from  opinion,  not  knowledge  ;  does  not  recollect  any 
others  that  were  there ;  the  persons  so  assembled 
assumed  authority ;  it  was  mentioned  in  Mr.  Ha/s 


426  APPENDIX. 

presence  that  he  was  to  go  with  Captain  M'Manus, 
and  he  consented  ;  does  not  beheve  Mr.  Hay  was 
an  officer,  never  saw  or  heard  he  carried  arms  ;  can- 
not say  whether  Carty  was  an  officer  or  not ;  never 
saw  Bagnal  Harvey  act  in  the  capacity  of  an  officer ; 
Carty  was  a  rich  farmer ;  Harvey  was  a  man  of 
property  ;  Keugh  was  an  officer  in  the  army,  and 
always  considered  a  gentleman. 

Cross-examined  by  Peter  Burroughs,  Esq 

It  was  after  the  town  was  surrendered  to  the  reb- 
els he  saw  Mr.  Hay ;  believes  he  did  not  meet  Mr. 
Hay  in  company  more  than  once  or  twice  before 
that  day  ;  many  loj^al  persons  were  desirous  of  being 
in  the  company  of  Harvey  and  Keugh,  to  afford 
themselves  protection  ;  believes  that  the  religion  of 
a  Catholic  might  make  him  more  respected  with  the 
rebels,  and  might  give  a  Catholic  more  influence 
than  a  Protestant ;  believes  great  bloodshed  was  pre- 
vented by  those  who  had  influence  ;  believes  that  a 
loyal  man  might  be  glad  to  have  influence  with  the 
rebels  ;  does  not  actually  know  that  Mr.  Hay  used 
his  influence  to  save  lives,  but  is  confident  he  would 
do  so  if  he  could  ;  the  loyal  inhabitants  would  have 
been  in  great  danger  had  there  been  a  battle  in  ta- 
king the  town  ;  a  loyal  and^  humane  man  ought  to 
join  in  the  terms  of  recapitulation,  but  he  conceived 
a  loyal  Roman  Catholic  would  be  preferred  to  go  to 
the  army ;  many  persons  favored  the  rebellion  that 
detested  it.  Q.  Do  you  not  believe  that  many  Prot- 
estants submitted  to  be  christened  by  priests?  A.  I 
do  believe  many  loyal  men  did  so,  but  no  true  Prot- 
estant need  do  so,  if  it  was  not  his  own  choice.  Q. 
Do  you  not  believe  that  Captain  Hay  was  considered 
a  rebel  ?     A.  I  do.     Q.  Did  you  not  hear  that,  he 


APPENDIX.  427 

was  tried  and  honorably  acquitted  by  a  court-martial? 
A.  I  did. 


No.  XIII. 

Letter  from  Mr.  Hay  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gordon, 

Reverend  Sir — As  you  have  publicly  professed  a 
wish  to  be  informed  of  any  involuntary  errors  con- 
tained in  your  history,  at  a  time  when  speculative 
opinions  supply  the  place  of  fact,  and  are  so  preva- 
lent, hearsay  evidence — whether  oral,  manuscript, 
or  even  printed — is  to  be  received  with  the  greatest 
caution.  The  great  superiority  of  ocular  informa- 
tion to  any  other,  induces  me  from  personal  know- 
ledge of  facts  to  send  you  along  with  my  own  opin- 
ion auxiliary  documents  that  cannot  fail  to  convince 
you,  that  the  introduction  of  my  name  into  your 
history  is  not  such  as  I  am  entitled  to,  and  I  hope 
your  professions  of  candor  and  liberality  may  be 
realized,  by  doing  justice  to  my  present  communi- 
cation. 

According  to  the  plan  contained  in  Mr.  Byrne's 
circular  letter,  two  persons  deputed  from  each  Cath- 
olic congregation  in  the  county  of  Wexford,  assem- 
bled at  Enniscorthy,  on  the  "29th  of  July,  1792, 
where  they  elected  delegates  to  represent  the  county 
in  the  general  committee  of  the  Catholics  of  Ireland. 
I  attended  this  meeting  as  a  voter  from  the  congre- 
gation I  belonged  to,  and  had  the  honor  of  being 
elected  one  of  the  delegates  for  the  county  of  Wex- 
ford. So  that  the  intermediate  step  of  baronials, 
which  you  mention  in  your  history,  had  but  a  specu- 
lative existence,  invented,  I  do  suppose,  with  a  view 
of  assimilating  the  Catholic  committee  with  the  sys- 


428  APPENDIX. 

tern  of  United  Irishmen — a  circumstance  totally  de- 
void of  truth,  as  no  kind  of  communication  existed 
between  them.  In  order  that  the  meeting  of  the 
general  committee  should  be  publicly  attended,  pro- 
posals were  made  to  hire  different  public  places, 
which  could  not  be  obtained,  so  that  no  other  place 
but  the  Taylor's-hall,  Back-lane,  could  be  procured. 
This  precluded  the  possibility  of  being  able  to  admit 
any  but  the  delegates,  as  it  was  scarcely  sufficient 
to  contain  them,  and  thus  was  the  committee  frus- 
trated in  having  their  assembly  publicly  attended. 
The  first  meeting  of  this  general  committee  took 
place  in  December,  1792,  for  seven  days  only,  which 
you  mention  to  be  many  weeks.  The  second  and 
final  meeting  for  eight  days  in  April,  1793,  and  the 
meeting  ended  in  a  dissolution,  beginning  on  the  16lh 
and  ending  on  the  25th,  as  Saturday  the  20lh  was 
taken  up  by  the  attendance  of  all  the  delegates  in 
the  court  of  King's  Bench,  to  take  the  oaths  prescri- 
bed by  a  late  act  of  parliament.  The  collections 
made  by  the  Catholics  of  Ireland  to  defray  the  ne- 
cessary expenses  attendant  on  the  pursuit  of  their 
emancipation,  were  voluntary  subscriptions,  and  not 
in  any  degree  assessments.  It  is  evident  the  en- 
treaties, by  no  means  orders  of  the  sub-committee, 
were  not  attended  to,  as  two-thirds  of  the  counties 
of  Ireland  never  produced  one  farthing.  I  paid  the 
collection  of  the  county  of  Wexford  to  the  treasurer 
in  1792,  and  no  second  collection  ever  was  made 
there.  The  statue  of  the  king  could  not  be  erected, 
although  voted  as  a  monument  of  Catholic  gratitude, 
which  along  with  other  honorable  engagements,  were 
superseded  by  the  general  and  calumnious  outcry 
raised  at  the  time  against  our  collections. 

The  petition  of  the  Catholics  of  Ireland  might  be 
suppo&eid  to  escape  animadversion;  when  his  majesty 


APPENDIX.  429 

was  graciously  pleased  to  signify  his  strongest  ap- 
probation in  his  recommendation  to  the  parliament  of 
Ireland,  who,  in  consequence,  repealed  the  greater 
part  of  the  penal  statutes  against  Catholics.  The 
late  Earl  of  Clare  did  assert,  as  you  have  done  in 
your  history,  "  that  the  Catholic  petition  was  sur- 
prisingly fraught  with  misrepresentation."  On  this 
assertion  being  made,  the  petition  was  republished, 
reciting  the  statutes  on  which  the  allegations  contain- 
ed in  the  petition  were  grounded,  prepared  by  the 
Hon.  Simon  Butler,  whose  reputation  as  a  lawyer 
the  chancellor  was  too  well  acquainted  with,  to  at- 
tempt to  expose  his  error  a  second  time,  and  gave  up 
the  point.  So  that  I  imagine  this  public  document 
will  be  equally  convincing  to  you,  which  I  send, 
along  with  all  the  proceedings  of  the  Catholic  com- 
mittee relating  to  this  event,  for  your  perusal,  as  I 
would  wish  your  avowal  to  proceed  from  the  most 
perfect  information  on  the  subject. 

Although  I  profess  the  Roman  Catholic  religion, 
I  should  not  be  of  that  communion  a  single  hour, 
were  their  tenets  as  they  are  represented,  through 
that  baneful  prejudice,  so  prevalent  in  Ireland,  that 
proves  such  an  effectual  drawback  to  the  otherwise 
infalhble  prosperity  of  my  country  ;  and  I  cannot  suf- 
ficiently lament  to  see  such  so  industriously  circula- 
ted, as  it  only  serves  to  keep  alive  those  prejudices 
that  all  liberal  men  see  through  and  reprobate  as  a 
pest  to  society. 

A  sloop  which  had  been  fitted  up  by  the  insurgents 
in  Wexford,  but  had  been  twice  condemned  as  to- 
tally unfit  for  that  service,  was  hauled  on  one  side  in 
the  harbor,  where  she  sunk  within  a  foot  of  her  deck, 
and  remained  in  that  situation  for  a  month,  when  she 
was  pumped  out.  I  was  the  same  day,  without  trial 
or  inquiry,  put  on  board  along  with  those  that  had 


430  APPENDIX. 

been  tried  and  sentenced  to  transportation.  The 
wet  straw  was  left  in  her  hold,  and  a  little  dry  straw 
shook  over,  which  our  walking  on  soon  made  as  bad 
as  the  rest ;  so  that  it  was  not  possible  to  sit  or  lie 
down  without  imbibing  the  wet,  nor  had  we  even  ihe 
satisfaction  of  resting  against  the  sides  of  the  ship, 
as  the  planks  were  water-soaked.  The  effervescence 
of  the  putrid  malt  was  so  strong  as  to  turn  money 
black  in  our  pockets  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours. 
We  had  also  a  profusion  of  rats  that  bit  some  of  the 
prisoners.  My  health  has  been  greatly  impaired  by 
five  weeks'  confinement  on  board  this  sloop,  and  1 
fear  it  will  never  be  perfectly  re-established.  I  should 
detain  you  too  long,  to  enumerate  the  various  hard- 
ships I  suffered  during  the  period  of  thirteen  months 
that  I  was  confined,  which  I  was  at  last  released 
from  by  an  honorable  acquittal,  at  the  summ.er  assizes 
in  Wexford,  in  August,  1799,  independent  of  the 
amnesty  bill.  Whereas,  my  persecutors  could  be 
punished  by  the  fundamental  laws  of  the  constitution, 
had  they  not  the  indemnity  bills  to  screen  their  base 
and  tyrannical  conduct  towards  me.  I  have  confined 
myself  merely  to  the  facts  stated  in  your  history,  in 
which  I  have  been  in  some  degree  concerned,  and  an 
eye-witness,  which  precludes  the  possibility  of  cavil- 
ling or  contradiction.  I  hope  you  may  be  kind  enough 
to  set  them  in  their  proper  colors.  I  request  the  fa- 
vor of  your  answer,  as  I  am  anxious  to  learn  your 
determination  on  a  subject  you  have  hitherto  been  so 
uninformed  about,  as  I  do  not  mean  to  let  such  trans- 
actions go  uncontradicted  to  posterity. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  great  respect,  rever- 
end sir,  your  most  obedient,  humble  servant, 

Edward  Hay. 

Dublin,  6th  July,  1802. 
To  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gordon,  Boro  Lodge. 


APPENDIX.  431 


Answer  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gordon. 

Sir — I  have  received  your  documents,  and  think 
you  much  aggrieved ;  I  am  satisfied  of  their  veraci- 
ty ;  they  remove  a  mistake  in  my  history  ;  I  shall 
publish  them  in  my  next  edition  with  suitable  ac- 
knowledgments. 

I  remain,  sir,  your  very  humble  servant, 

• .    ri  ■:       '•  James  Gordon, 

Boro  Lodge,  July  18th,  1802. 


While  my  work  was  at  press,  an  edition  of  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Gordon's  history  was  published  in  London, 
in  which  he  certainly  has  noticed  my  communica- 
tions, but  not  in  the  extent  I  think  I  shall  be  able  to 
point  out,  deserving  his  attention  in  the  supplement 
he  has  promised  to  the  public. 


From  the  pursuit  I  am  at  present  engaged  in,  I 
consider  it  my. duty  to  seek  and  unravel  truth,  and 
shall  be  happy  to  elucidate  any  circumstances  that 
may  be  considered  more  useful  in  promoting  public 
knowledge.  In  consequence  of  the  progi'ess  I  have 
already  made  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gordon,  and  in  con- 
sideration of  our  communications  being  hitherto  very 
circumscribed,  I  have  offered  him  my  services,  and 
hope  for  his  co-operation  in  the  pursuit  of  my  inten- 
tion  THE  UNION  AND  HARMONY  OF  ALL  DESCRIP- 
TIONS OF  OUR  COUNTRYMEN.  TIlis  objcct  is  cxtcn- 
sive  enough  to  engage  the  attention  of  many.  The 
public  have  already  anticipated  their  favorable  opin- 
ion of  gentlemen  employed  in  researches,  that  are 
so  likely  to  increase  the  high  opinion  entertained 
of  their  superior  talents.     If  an  humble  individual 


432  APPENDIX. 

can  recommend  himself  by  the  sincerity  of  his  co- 
operation, I  shall  hope  to  be  included  among  those 
who  are  willing  to  point  out  the  means  of  general 
happiness. 


Dublin,  December  14,  1802. 
Sir — I  return,  with  my  thanks  for  your  polite  atten- 
tion, the  manuscripts  you  were  so  kind  as  to  leave  for 
my  perusal.  I  am  exceedingly  glad  to  find,  through 
the  whole  of  your  compilation,  so  strict  tin  observance 
of  facts,  which  chiefly  came  under  my  cognizance  as 
brigade-major.  It  is  with  pleasure  I  observe,  also, 
your  adherence  to  truth  and  impartiality,  free  from  the 
rancorous  spirit  of  party  fabrication ;  which  is  the  true 
criterion  that  exalts  the  historian  above  the  class  of 
party  scribblers,  who  dissipate  as  rapidly  as  unerring 
truth  unveils  itself — strongly  exemplified  in  the  past 
and  present  times.  I  give  you  much  credit  in  not  re- 
torting as  you  might  for  your  unmerited  sufferings,  by 
exposing  the  crimes  of  some  respectable  persons ;  for, 
indeed,  if  they  are  not  very  forgetful  and  very  insensi- 
ble, the  compunctions  of  their  consciences  must  be  suf- 
ficiently  tormenting.  There  is  little  doubt  of  your 
labors  meeting  their  due  reward  from  an  unprejudiced 
public,  which  is  the  wish  of 

Your  most  obedient  humble  servant, 

B.  E.  Fitzgerald. 
To  Edward  Hay,  Esq. 


THE    END. 


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